When you go to college, you will transition to living independently on campus. There are many skills that you can practice before you leave for college that can help you be successful living on campus. The four inclusive post-secondary education programs in Missouri (Bear POWER, PAWS, Succeed, and THRIVE) have identified the following skills as especially important!
Students and families: Use this list to identify skills to practice at home and in your community as you prepare for the transition to college!
Teachers and service providers: Use this list to identify skills you may want to target in the classroom and to help with lesson planning as you prepare your students for the transition to college!
Managing your Medication: If you take medication, you will be responsible for getting your medication from the pharmacy and remembering to take it on time.
Navigating Campus: In college, you will need to find your way around campus!
Use Google Maps or Apple Maps to find walking directions between two locations
Download the Uber or Lyft app; practice using the app to call for a ride
Look up the bus system of your preferred post-secondary program
Cleanliness: You will need to keep your dorm room and bathroom clean when you live on campus.
Make your bed every day
Vacuum or sweep your bedroom floor
Clean your bathroom: wipe down each surface, clean the toilet
Laundry: You will do your own laundry when you live on campus.
Click the links below to find specific information about living on campus at each of the four inclusive postsecondary programs in Missouri:
When you go to college, you will need to manage your own medication. Managing your medication means…
Knowing what medicine you take and why you take it
Knowing how much medication to take and when to take it
Remembering to take your medication on time
Refilling your prescription before you run out of your medication
To help you with each of these four areas, use the template below called “Understanding My Medication Activity Template.” This template will help you gather all information you need to manage your medication independently while living on campus!
Understanding My Medications Activity Template
When attending an inclusive post-secondary education program, students will need to manage their own medication. Students must remember to take their pills on time and refill their prescription. This template can be used by students at home or at school to learn more about their medication and formulate a plan before they leave for college.
Students attending higher education through Show Me College are expected to travel to and from their dorm rooms, classes, and other locations on and off campus. Below are several strategies that educators, families, and students can use to practice traveling to various locations.
Community Asset Mapping
Community asset mapping is a process teams can use to identify local resources (e.g., businesses, transportation routes, and other services) that can help students meet their long-term goals.
An IEP team can work together to identify local resources and plot them on a map. These resources can be personalized based on each student’s interests, preferences, and goals. Teams can identify public transportation routes to get to these locations from both home and school.
P, F, I
Travel Training
Travel training is individualized instruction on how to use public transportation.
IEP teams can develop an individualized plan for a student. Some cities have travel training services and supports, so check to see if this is offered in your city.
Navigation Apps
Navigation apps are web-based applications that can be downloaded on an individual’s phone or computer to assist in finding and traveling to/from locations.
Note: P=Practitioner; F=Family; I=Individual