Five sentence summary:
The process varies depending on the school but it can take a long time and it can be a serious headache. You will have to essentially prove that you're disabled, and this can mean finding a lot of documentation from specific doctors and/or making new appointments. You should contact the disability office to find out specifically what is needed, how recent documentation needs to be, and what to do after. If they want additional documentation, it is your responsibility. I recommend starting this early because you may have to jump through some hoops.
Regardless of whether or not you expect accommodations, I recommend every student register with the disability office. Yes, this includes graduate students! If you don't register and you have a professor who acts particularly ableist, you won't be able to do much until you're registered with the disability office. Reminder: Yes, ADHD can be considered a disability. Read more: Is ADHD a disability?
Every school is different, but this process can take a really long time, so you should reach out and contact them sooner rather than later. Keep in mind, they're likely to be busy at the start of the semester, so you may want to reach out over summer. Another thing to remember is that you can register AT ANY TIME. If you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the middle of the semester and you need accommodations, you have every right to contact this office and start the process. Now, accommodations aren't retroactive, so you can't apply in October and expect to receive extended testing for the tests you've already taken. Your professors and the office also have to be given a reasonable amount of time to provide the accommodations, which is why it's better to apply before the semester starts, but it's not a requirement.
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Five sentence summary
Every student, including graduate students, should register with their disability office. It may take a long time to register and it may be painful, but you should still do it. If you run into problems later, if something changes in your life, if someone discriminates against you, being registered already will save you time and energy and may make finding solutions easier. Your office may have accommodations that were unavailable at other schools and they may know about new technology or alterations that can help you inside and outside of the classroom.
One of the first things every student should do when they arrive on campus is start investigating the Disability Office.
As a new student, you will not automatically be registered with them, and the registration process can take a long time, it can be painful, or it can be easy and quick. It depends on the university and the office. I have had great experiences with disability offices and I have had horrible experiences with them. You can ask other students what their experience has been like, but you might not know until you start the process yourself. I recommend that every student, including graduate students, register with this office for a few reasons. |
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