Conquer College with LD/ADD - "One-of-a-kind" online course for HS students begins October 7

Sept. 23, 2009 - PRLog -- (Philadelphia, PA) - Joan M Azarva, Ms.ED, President of Transition Success, LLC, announced today that Conquer College with LD/ADD—an innovative online course for special education high school students  —begins its fall session October 7th. Registration is currently underway for this one-of-a-kind course delivered via 10 live webinars (also recorded), 60 – 90 minutes in length, that teach students, and their parents, how to prepare for, appropriately choose, and thrive in college.

Today's students with learning disabilities are attending college in record numbers yet, their graduation rate remains dismal when compared to their peers. Indeed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, 16% of students with learning disabilities go on to graduate college versus 27% of their non-disabled peers.  For students with LD, this translates into low self-esteem and severely-reduced income potential. For their parents, it translates into a significant tuition loss; college, for most families, is their second largest investment, surpassed only by their home.

College success is attainable for students with learning differences, provided they are of normal intelligence and motivated. Success is contingent on three essential elements: academic preparedness, best college “fit”, and knowledge of the postsecondary system from the vantage point of a student with a disability.

The needs of special education students are complex. For college success to occur, all the above elements must be present, and preparation must begin well in advance of actual transition. The consequences of attending college minus these critical factors are dire: academic unpreparedness; a poorly-matched school ill-equipped to provide  requisite academic support; and ultimately, failure.

Most parents, even those involved and educated, are often unaware of what their special ed. teens need to achieve in college.  Furthermore, they frequently have  misconceptions about how their teen should sensibly navigate with a learning disability.  College marks a huge leap in independence, but for students with learning differences, the new challenges can seem insurmountable—unless there is foreknowledge of the system and a game plan in place.  Students with little understanding of college's unique demands and how to meet them, quickly lose their way, become discouraged, and often leave school, convinced they are "incapable".

The impetus for Azarva's writing Conquer College with LD/ADD was witnessing capable, motivated students navigate college using ill-conceived strategies and decisions that inadvertently sabotaged their progress and resulted in failure. She believes that proactive intervention can prevent missteps and help level the college playing field, providing LD students with opportunities that are too often out of reach.  Azarva has worked with students with learning disabilities for over three decades, since obtaining her Master's Degree in Reading from the University of Pennsylvania.

Azarva has seen many students graduate college successfully (including her own son) with the methods she teaches in Conquer College   To receive information that eases the high school to college transition, subscribe to Joan's free e-list at www.ConquerCollegeWithLD.com.  For more information about the course, contact Joan Azarva at info@conquercollegewithld.com or (215) 620-2112.

# # #

Transition Success, LLC provides offerings to Special Education high school students and their parents that proactively teach the college system. Conquer College with LD/ADD is an online course teaching students how to prepare for and thrive in college.