Are there any current Lafayette students or parents who could answer my question about how Lafayette handles the foreign language (elementary proficiency) part of the Common Core requirement?
My son is a HS junior interested in mechanical engineering but also loves the humanities and a smaller setting so Lafayette looks like a great match BUT a foreign language requirement is an issue. He is severely dyslexic and did American Sign Language for a foreign language in high school. Even taking a basic level foreign language with any sort of spelling component would be very taxing. Could this (with documentation) be exempted completely? Could ASL proficiency be a substitute? I’ve looked at the website, course catalog, and degree plans but can’t find an answer.
How do engineering students handle this? Not much wiggly room in the schedule, community college summer classes?
Lafayette’s web site does not appear to mention ASL specifically, so you may have to ask the college directly about how to prove sufficient proficiency in ASL to fulfill the requirement, if it allows ASL to fulfill the requirement.
1 Like
I’d imagine you could work with the Office of Disability Services and find a solution that will work. You can probably contact them now and ask how they have handled similar situations in the past.
FWIW my D graduated from Lafayette a few years ago and had a fabulous experience.
1 Like
If your son currently has a language waiver in his IEP or a suggestion for one in his neuropsych, you can contact the accessibility services office and ask what accommodations would be available. Accessibility Services · Academic Resource Hub · Lafayette College
Thanks, that will be the next step. I’m not optimistic however. Weirdly, bigger schools often seen to do a better job with this and of course, most other engineering programs do not have a foreign language requirement so it is a non-issue there.
You would be surprised. All my kids are dyslexic, had one admitted to a small “very caring” college but they absolutely would not budge on the foreign language requirement.
If you have the disability documented I’d be surprised if they were not able/willing to make the accommodation. But the only way to know for sure is to ask.
Don’t be surprised. Many colleges won’t in this instance. Or will at least require an attempt.
But for the OP, the definitive answer is to ask the college directly.
1 Like
IT’s is actually up to the school if they grant the waiver or not.
I understand. I do have first hand experience with the Office of Disability Services at this particular school from a few years back and found them to be very helpful/responsive. Of course the people etc. may be different now and the OP has a different issue.
2 Likes
OP here! I dug deeper and deeper into Lafayette’s website and it looks like they do have an established procedure for kids with dyslexia to have the elementary proficiency requirement waived. There’s a form, and documentation required, an interview then the Accessibility Office signs off and provides a letter, and then there is a petition to the Office of the Registrar. You can see details here Request to Replace Elementary Proficiency in a Second Language Requirement (EPSL) · Academic Resource Hub · Lafayette College
3 Likes