Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-442-6062

Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-925-2803

It's test day and a student with  

dyslexia

  is trying desperately not to be the last one finishing the test, "Ica nre adt his; Ikno wIc an." With hands cold and shaking from stress, he works as hard as he can to read the sentence again, but time is running out and another student just finished. Finally, it comes, "I can read this; I know I can."Current studies cited by the International Dyslexic Association suggest that 15 to 20 percent of the population has a reading disability. Of those, 85 percent has dyslexia. In fact, adds the Dyslexic Research Institute, 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. school population suffers from the disability. Holly Parshall, a junior English and mass communications major at King's college (Wilkes--Barre, PA), is one of them. "I think of [being dyslexic] as my brain being a computer system that processes information differently because of some type of miswiring that is both good and bad for my capabilities as a learning person."

What Is Dyslexia?
"We can't associate sounds and letters," explains Paul Shump, a junior education major at King's College. "If I don't know a word, I'll put something in there that sounds similar or goes in the sentence. When I'm writing, I know what I want to write, but dyslexia is a learning disability that affects reading and writing skills." A student with dyslexia sees the spaces between words and lines in the wrong places - as well as occasionally seeing letters inverted (wsa instead of was).

But dyslexia isn't just seeing words differently, it's also the reason why some students have trouble finding the right image for the letter sound they have in their head. For example, they may write the word "matter" instead of "manner" because it looks and sounds close to what they intended. This learning disability doesn't mean collegeis out of the question. Unfortunately, dyslexic students may be told otherwise by teachers or even admissions officers.

Fighting negativity
Holly jumped at the chance to reach her dreams, despite some negative remarks along the way. "In high school, I was often discouraged when teachers read my papers aloud to the class as the example of what not to do. I was even told by one teacher that my writing sucked and I would have a hard time in college," she says. Anthony Solarino, a mass communications King's College graduate, was told outright he was not college material by some admissions officers who interviewed him.

Not all experiences while preparing for college are bad, however. Like Holly and Anthony, Paul reached a point of understanding and acceptance of his disability. "When I was younger, I couldn't handle it," he shares. "Now it's almost comical. I want to get a shirt that says, 'Hooked on Phonics worked for me,' but with all the letters messed up. I just deal with it; when I make a mistake, I laugh about it."

Giving Up Is Not an Option
Maybe some of these thoughts will sound familiar: "There's just too much to do. I can't do it. I've got to get out." This is what Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA) refers to as the "Bail Out Syndrome," when a student - even one without dyslexia - gets stuck in a pattern or "drops into a cycle of learned helplessness."

Such helplessness must be avoided at all costs, explains Jacinta Burke, director of the Academic Skills Center at King's College. And students can gain confidence, she says, by simply looking around. "I tell them, 'Who are you in classes with? You're here with students who made 4.0 GPAs in high school. First and foremost, you have been accepted. You've earned your place here."

A student with dyslexia isn't just the class clown or quiet kid who never speaks in class. He could be the captain of the football team, the head cheerleader, or the most popular person in school. You don't need to be afraid to find help if you really need it.

Be Your Own Advocate
"I believe in self--advocacy," says Burke. In her opinion, it's one of the most important things a student can do for him or herself. Preparing yourself for a conversation with the professor can be made easier by role--playing the meeting with a person at your high school or college. Or, using a classroom adaptation form, like the one offered by King's College Academic Skills Center, can let a prof know your specific learning needs (extended test time, use of a tape recorder, etc.). Most colleges have similar procedures.

"After talking with my mom and close friends, I agreed to meet the chairperson of the history department, who wanted to further examine my paper and advise me to get help," Holly explains. "I ended up feeling more at ease after talking with two King's College professors. I made an agreement with both of them to be tested for dyslexia." What she didn't know was that the test was free. If one is not available at your school, someone in the guidance office may know where you can take it.

Getting Used to College
Knowing there is a problem is the first step to helping yourself conquer it, says Linda Hughes, coordinator of King's College's First Year Academic Studies program, a support system for incoming freshmen with disabilities (physical and learning). It's there that students get registration help and meet with the coordinator three times each week during the fall semester and twice each week in the spring.

By the fall semester of his/her sophomore year, the student should be comfortable using the services the office provides, says Hughes, though the coordinator is still available at any time for support. The goal, she explains, "is getting the student to be independent when it comes to his/her studies."

What you Need to Know
Not every school offers special programs like those at King's College, but more and more programs are opening up around the country. Most colleges offer additional assistance, such as different or extended times for test taking, or textbooks on tape, which could be a big help for students with dyslexia who can't see a story clearly when it's printed on paper. In fact, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that academic accommodations be provided to otherwise qualified students with documented learning disabilities.

Whatever the need, students should be aware of their limitations as well as what's available to help prepare them for college."Who's to say I couldn't do something because I think differently?" asks Holly. "If someone told me 'You can't do something because you have a learning disability,' I would show just how unique I am in the way I think and solve problems. I would say the person really underestimates my ability to be creative."

Sound Off! Post Your Comments