Choosing a College

I'm going to start this blog with, what I hope, are helpful tips for in college. Feel free to let me know if there's anything you want to learn!

Choosing a college is important to anyone, but it can be more difficult with someone with IBD, depending on special needs that person has. Here are some things to look for when making that big decision:

1. Support System: Look into Academic Support Centers (they may be called something different at other colleges). When you talk with someone from admissions, be inquisitive. You have to live there the next 4+ years, make sure they'll be helping you. Academic Support advisors will go over accommadations that will be supplied to professors to let them know what you may need. If you feel uncomfortable talking with a professor, they can go with you. There's some really great advantages that can come along with IBD in college. I take my tests in other rooms, the professors all know that I'm just going to go to the bathroom when I leave the room, I can turn in homework late if I'm not feeling well, and I get to keep my car on campus. If the college doesn't have anything like this, or doesn't think IBD is something that needs Academic Support, it may not be the college for you.

2: Rooming: See if you can get special rooming, especially close to the bathroom. My freshman year I was as far from the bathroom as could be, although I specifically asked to be close, and it was awful. There were many accidents, which isn't fun your first year of college. You may be able to pick your room before everyone else, get a room close to a bathroom (insist on this), or even a private room.

3. Professors: Try talking with a professor if you can, and see what their reaction would be if they were to have you in their class. College is not the time to be shy about your IBD; professors will be more willing to help you if they know why you missed two lectures or wasn't able to turn your paper in on time.

4. Atmosphere: If you have a more severe disease, you may not want to go to a school that's known for it's wild parties, although college tends to be what you make of it, and you could try to make it quiet.

5. Medical Services: Make sure there's a hospital or something nearby in case of emergency. Maybe you'll never have to use it, but if you're in the middle of nowhere and begin a painful flare, it's not convenient to be an hour from the closest place. Check out nearby GI's. I was really fortunate that my perfect school is only one hour away from Mayo, where I started going my senior year. See if you like a GI in the area. If you don't find one you like, you then have to see if you'll be able to make appointments back home.

6. Growing Up: Unfortunately (or fortunately if you have helicopter parents), your parents won't be able to make all your appointments or keep track of medications for you anymore. Your last year at home you should really begin to be in charge of everything: from making appointments fit your schedule, to getting medicine when you need more, even to dealing with insurance. Better to figure out all this stuff when your parents are in the room than to be hours away from home with no idea how to make an appointment.

There's a lot more you're going to have to look into when you have IBD, but it's definitely worth it in the end.

 

Until next time...