Housing accommodations?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>I'm a high school senior applying to colleges and I have mild to severe joint problems, mainly in my knees and hips. Normally it's not an issue unless the weather suddenly gets cold/humid, but I've found that it's a constant struggle to climb stairs no matter the weather.
I don't have an official diagnosis, however. My doctor thinks it might be arthritis but wants to do more tests to confirm it and judging at how slowly my doctor works (my doc is seriously so slow, argh), I probably won't get all the proper tests done until after I leave for college.</p>

<p>I don't know a lot about the dorm selection process, other than that it's usually pretty random, but will most colleges accommodate my physical limitations even without an official diagnosis? In other words, will schools allow me to request a ground floor dorm (and then honor that request) if I ask and explain my predicament? </p>

<p>I just don't want to experience physical pain every time I want to go to my future dorm and I really don't understand how the housing selection process works. Thanks y'all.</p>

2

<p>You should get some type of doctor note and submit to the Housing Department of the college. They should be able to accommodate your request.</p>

<p>Edit: That is, ignoring the facts that some dorm have elevators but this would still be an issue because of emergency and whatnot.</p>

3

<p>you should probably also register with whatever school’s disability office you end up attending - they will surely help with housing.</p>

<p>For example, here is Brown’s: <a href=“http://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/accessibility-services/students-disabilities[/url]”>http://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/accessibility-services/students-disabilities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I’m actually applying to Brown ED, haha!
Will schools still allow me to register with their disability offices even without an official diagnosis? Doc also said there was a chance I don’t have arthritis, just really weak/sensitive joints, and therefore I wouldn’t even have official documentation.</p>

5

<p>You will not be able to register with the disabilities office, or get housing accommodations, without official documentation from your doctor that you have a medical condition.</p>

<p>I have a nerve issue that causes me some pain that my doctors cant figure out an actual diagnosis for, but they were able to write something up that was sufficient for disabilities that could serve as official documentation. You will need at least something like this. You will have to ask the school exactly what your documentation needs to be, but you will need documentation.</p>