Students

Thinking about life after high school? 

We have resources to help you learn how things will change after you graduate, and how to consider your current skill set as you plan for next steps.

Whether you’re heading for college, training, work, or a combination of all three, planning ahead will set you up for success. Get started here.

Featured student resources

Families

As your child grows in high school, there’s a lot to consider, including possible college attendance.  

There’s no one “perfect” college or university for a student with vision impairment.  

These foundational articles will guide you in how to begin now to help your student make informed decisions as they plan and prepare for life after high school.

Featured family resources

Educators and vision professionals

Demands and expectations for college-level work have evolved in the past two decades.  

As you work to improve outcomes for students learning and living with blindness and low vision, these resources will provide you with informed perspectives to support your work with college-aspiring students.

Featured educator resources

Students: Resources to get you started

You’re ready to start planning for life after high school, and we’re ready to help. Let’s go!

Students: Wondering where to start? Right here!

We have lots of student-ready resources — but if you don’t know where to begin, we’ve put together a quick get-started guide.

Get started now

Know the laws that impact your transition from high school to college

Be prepared to assume responsibility as you transition from the IDEA to the ADA.

Learn about transition from IDEA to ADA

College: Is it the right option for me?

Learn what college is REALLY about – and what it takes for college success.

Explore your options

Quick study tips for students with visual impairments

Get tips to kickstart college readiness skills for the whole student – from academics to independence, self-advocacy, confidence and more.

Check out our study tips
More resources for students

Families: Resources to start planning early

You know your child. We know how to help them as they plan and prepare for life after high school.

Let’s work together to get them there.

Start here: Help your student gain the skills to become independent after high school

You may be wondering how you got here: college readiness planning already?

But it’s never too early – especially for students who are blind or visually impaired. 

Don’t know where to begin? This article is a get-started guide that will put you – and your student – on the right path.

Get started now

From parent advocate to partner: How your role changes with high school graduation

Support your student’s growing independence and transition from IDEA to ADA.

Learn about transition from IDEA to ADA

If not college… then what?

Explore other options to consider – in addition to, or before – trying college.

Explore your options

Journey to independence

Build your student’s skills and self-reliance as they prepare for life after high school.

Check out ways to support your student’s journey
More resources for families

Educators and vision professionals: Resources to amplify your influence

Learn more about working with your college-aspiring clients, and to support improved outcomes after high school.

Start here: How to get your academic students ready for life after high school

Working with diverse students can be challenging — their needs and goals are complex, and require that you keep up with many post-secondary pathways.  

To help you get started, we’ve put together this quick guide to some foundational resources that can guide the way.

Get started now

Guide your student to know their rights: IDEA and the ADA

Know how the laws change and prepare for the differences between high school, college, and career.

Learn about transition from IDEA to ADA

The College Readiness Checklist: A tool for the TVI Toolkit 

Learn how to get a comprehensive assessment of your students’ “blindness” skills — like orientation and mobility, mainstream and assistive technology, independent living — in addition to traditional academic skills.

Check out the College Readiness Checklist

Academic rigor

“College prep” may not mean “college ready.”

How to help your students understand that preparing for college means more than just good grades.

Explore our recommendations
More resources for educators and vision professionals

Concrete tools for college readiness

Leslie Thatcher Director, College Success @ Perkins

“The lack of time in high school (and earlier schooling) to develop these skills leads to gaps in skills. And, splinter skills can mask significant, and debilitating skill gaps, leading to assumptions about college and career readiness that mislead students and families. We can help support the educators and parents with concrete tools like the College Readiness Resource Center.”

College Readiness Initiative

College Success @ Perkins

Nationally, over 60% of students who attend college with a visual impairment or blindness do not complete a degree. 

While it’s easy to intend to attend college, there can be significant gaps in preparation for life and learning — including college and work. Often, students and families are not aware of these gaps in skills, both academic and “blindness,” but these gaps can have some unintended consequences that lead to students not achieving their goals.  

Perkins School for the Blind, through its college readiness initiative College Success @ Perkins, is working to help students and their supporters — families, educators, transition professionals, and vocational rehabilitation counselors — better understand the jump in expectations after high school in order to develop more coordinated skill development and planning.

As part of the initiative, Perkins offers the Compass program — a completely new take on college readiness planning for college-aspiring high school students with visual impairments. It’s a nine-month, virtual enrichment program that engages current research to bring together students, families and educators to help proactively explore and develop a plan to build the critical skills for reaching individual post-secondary goals.

College Success @ Perkins
The Compass program

Want to learn more?

View all college readiness resources
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Join the conversation.

Our team is committed to changing the way students with blindness and visual impairment prepare for their post-secondary journeys. If you want to learn more, let’s talk.

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Alumni perspectives

We’ve taken our learnings and turned them into programs that work and help families make informed decisions.

Get alumni perspectives