Transition/Admission Process

There are several factors to consider, many things you must do, and decisions that must be made before starting classes at OSU. Here are some suggestions to guide you through the process:

  1. Early on, start taking the right classes to get into college. OSU requires a college preparatory curriculum which includes: three units of college prep math, four units of college prep English, two units each of science, social science, and the same foreign language, a year of a visual or performing arts and one additional unit of the above courses.
  2. Take a college admissions test. You are encouraged to take these tests with accommodations. Work with your guidance counselor to make the arrangements.
  3. There will be nothing in your admissions application about disclosing your disability. There is a place on the application where you are asked to write a personal statement if you feel your high school performance was adversely affected by special circumstances. You may write about your disability using a separate sheet to summarize if you feel your disability negatively affected your academic performance. There is also a form you can fill out where you can request information about ODS.
  4. It is in your best interest to contact ODS early, make an appointment, and visit ODS as well as the OSU campus. If you are just exploring campuses, visit OSU and ODS during your junior year. If you have already been accepted to OSU and need more specific information about your own services and documenting your disability, visit us during your senior year to help you make your final decision.
  5. You will be asked to provide documentation about your disability. You can find out exactly what documentation you need to provide ODS by clicking on "eligibility." It is very important to know that you will be requested to provide documentation only if you request services. You will only get services if you provide appropriate documentation and ask for services. Unlike high school getting services is at the initiation of the student.
  6. ODS is not bound by your IEP. The services you get at ODS might be quite different from what you receive in high school. Your services and accommodations at ODS will be based upon the documentation of your disability and will help you compensate for your disability. Also keep in mind that you will have to advocate for yourself and ask professors yourself for the accommodations that you need. Your ODS counselor will train you on how this should be done.