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COLLEGE
TS Shouldn't Hold You Back

Going to college is a rite of passage, a way to slake your thirst for knowledge, and the gateway to many rewarding careers. It’s an experience that can mark full entry into independent adult life for young people with Tourette Syndrome, and it also provides life-changing opportunities for more mature people with TS.

Getting In
The university gates are definitely open, but some individuals with TS and related conditions may have problems getting in, or getting started. Poor educational attainment at the high-school level may be coupled with low expectations. This is particularly true for those who have been in non-mainstream programs, and for older adults who experienced school in the years before IDEA provided more help for students with disabilities.

If the above describes your situation, don’t despair—despite all that student folklore about “blots on your permanent record” following you forever, you can overcome a lackluster educational past to get into college. One good way to prove your worth is to start with a community college class or two. Community colleges frequently have links to four-year institutions, allowing you to start out locally with high levels of support (and, usually, lower entry qualifications and tuition costs) then transfer your credits to the related university. Your community college grades will matter much more than what you did at high school when you apply for that transfer.

Entrance Exams
Most universities use admission tests, like the SAT and ACT. These exams aren’t there to keep you out—they were actually developed to identify people whose abilities are not necessarily reflected in their past grades. Study guides, practice tests, and extra tuition can help you ace entrance exams.

If you worry about taking the exam because you anticipate problems with concentration, or think you might tic in a disruptive way, reasonable accommodations are available for all test-takers with disabilities. These might include extra time, a private room or a distraction-blocking screen, breaking up the test into smaller parts, or using a computer or scribe. Any accommodations have to be arranged well in advance, usually set up by your high school’s special education department. If you’re an adult applicant, contact the College Board directly at  http://www.collegeboard.com/ssd/student/ regarding the SAT,  or American College Testing Inc. about the ACT and the COMPASS exam (often used by community colleges) http://www.act.org/aap/disab/index.html.

Accommodations are also available for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and for the placement tests that many colleges use to assign new students to classes by level.

Other Admission Requirements
Some universities ask you to complete in-person interviews, write an essay, submit a portfolio, or complete other procedures to gain admission. By law, your disability cannot be a factor in this process. The in-person interview can be a concern for some people with TS: what if the interviewer has never met someone who tics, or has negative views about TS? It’s a good idea to get in touch with the university’s student disability office if an in-person interview is required: they can ensure that the interviewer has accurate information about TS, suggest a sympathetic interviewer, or perhaps come up with another alternative that won’t put you at a disadvantage.

A New Ally
When a college acceptance letter lands in your mailbox, the student disability office should be your first port of call. They are in charge of setting up any support that you may need. Of course, you may not need a thing—but disclosing your diagnosis to this part of the university is confidential and can be helpful if you develop a problem later on.

The school disability office can do more than just arranging for a private room for exams or help with note-taking. They can do things like adjusting your dorm placement, if you’re living on campus, and providing you with referrals to local support groups and doctors.

Talking about classroom accommodations does bring up one knotty problem, however… your level of comfort in revealing that you have TS. For many people, there’s no choice. Their tics are loud or easily visible, and it’s surely better to explain that it’s a medical issue than to let others come to ill-informed conclusions. If your tics are relatively minor, however, or if they are well-controlled with medication for now, you do have a choice. It’s a decision only you can make.

Social Life
One of the most positive sides of college life is the social scene, and you shouldn’t miss it. University students with TS can be the life of the party, and have been involved in sports teams, cheerleading squads, clubs, academic competitions, and Greek life. These opportunities will help you build self-esteem, gain contacts for networking later on, and show people with TS in a good light.