<p>Hi, I'm curious how colleges(and Mizzou in particular) handle disabled students during the admissions process. I have mild Cerebral Palsy, and while I'm mentally capable (like a B+ student) I often don't do as well as I could've because you have to be at school to learn. My school quotes me as being in class "77%" of time. Now I know that attendance of classes is important but unfortunately I have had operations all 3 years of high school. My grades obviously have suffered for this. now mind you in college I can full-stop on surgeries and attend classes full-time. Which is part of the reason I want to go to college at Mizzou since they do about 80% of my medical work.</p>
<p>My course load doesn't help either. Frankly my teacher and I often joke that I hate myself so much that I take the hardest courses available as some sort of weird self-abuse ritual (you know death by school. I'm a junior who has already taken two college-level classes (dual-credit, but I didn't receive credit because my GPA was just shy of 3.0). Although I am the kid who dropped "Office Help" for "College Sociology". </p>
<p>I'm challenged in school and I like that. Although I often wonder if I wouldn't be better off with a 4.0, taking classes that are equivalent to basket-weaving. </p>
<p>Here's the quick facts:
21 on the ACT (retaking in june)
2.8 (and climbing) GPA (could possibly be even higher I'm thinking it should be like a 3.1)
B+ in College History and Sociology.</p>
<p>How bad off am I if I wanna get into Mizzou.</p>
<p>I am taking college Biology, Anatomy, Chemistry II, College Algebra, and Trigonometry..</p>
<p>This is my first year with a 504, last year I had an IEP. </p>
<p>How does all of this play into college admissions?</p>
<p>There is a kid named Evan O’Dorney who has Aspergers and Autism. He won the national spelling bee and Intel. He was admitted to Harvard this year with a likely letter. This is the only disabled student I know who has gotten in to an Ivy</p>
<p>Congratulations on challenging yourself! You sound like a great person, and a hard worker. I am not sure what the admissions criteria is for Mizzou, but I do know that schools are not allowed to discriminate in the area of physical disability. But on the other hand, they don’t have to accept you if you don’t meet their minimum standards. I have worked with numerous students with disabilities, and recently have seen a student with arthrogryposis get accepted to Stanford, and a full quadriplegic get accepted to Cal, but they also had the stats to make that happen.</p>
<p>Your GPA and ACT score may be somewhat low for the school you want to go to, though I am not sure. In your application you may want to include a letter from your counselor, your teacher, your doctor (the one at Mizzou would be great), and a letter/essay from you about what kind of challenges you have faced, and how you have done well in spite of the obstacles, etc., etc. You may be a diverse enough candidate that the admissions office would want you there. I would also concentrate on raising your ACT, or try the SAT; it may be better for you. Hopefully you have accommodations in place if you need extra time, etc. I would also recommend calling the department that handles disabilities at your targeted schools. They can give you further information about what you need to get in, or to be successful that that school.</p>
<p>I am not sure what other schools you are interested in; it seems like many people on this board have good things to say about Truman State. But make sure that you do find other schools if Mizzou may be a reach or high match. </p>
<p>I know that there are scholarships for people with disabilities; make sure you look into those, also.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>