DSS Self Assess, Learning Center, SUNY Fredonia

Student Self Assessment

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The following is a list of questions you might ask yourself to help you prepare for college. Whether or not you come to Fredonia, these are questions any disability office at a college would ask you:

Can you name and describe your disability?
What kinds of problems have you had in school related to your disability?
What are your strengths and weaknesses in an academic setting?
Were you in self-contained or fully mainstreamed classes? If you were mainstreamed, were your classes Regents, non-Regents, BOCES, or other?
Did you have resource room support? If so, how often and what kind of help did you receive?
What kinds of accommodations have you had in the past?
Do you have copies of current (within 3 years) documentation (such as psychological tests, audiograms, doctor's reports, etc.)?
Are you a consumer of the NYS Office of Vocational Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), or the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), and who is your counselor?
Are you receiving services from any other agency such as Social Services, the WNY Association for the Learning Disabled or others, and what kind of support do they provide for college students?

What Makes A Successful Student?
Demonstrated competency of basic skills (reading, writing, and math) is necessary for success in college level course, where content mastery will be evaluated. Most instructors expect you to spend at least 3 hours outside of class doing homework or reading for every hour spent in class. For example: if you are registered for 12 credit hours, you should be spending a minimum of 36 hours outside class studying. Often, students with disabilities need to spend considerably more time than this to be successful. Coming to college as a full-time student is a full-time job.

Seeking Help
One of the best kept secrets on campus is that going to the Learning Center and getting help from the tutors there can improve your grade. Students find that a failing grade can turn into a passing grade if they use the tutors at the Learning Center. Many students use the Learning Center to try and turn a 'B' grade into an 'A ' grade. So, it is not just for students who are in 'trouble.' Bottom line, using the Learning Center can make you a more successful student. Lastly, a positive attitude, flexibility, knowledge about academic policies and deadlines, good communication skills, independence, and knowing when to seek help are attributes of successful students.

Need our DSS Form?
Link to Self-Indentification Form
Or, download the same form in MS Word format, RTF format

Disability Support Services
(716) 673-3270
TTY (716) 673-4763
E-mail: disability.services@fredonia.edu