<p>How hard would it honestly be to get a single as a freshman?
My parents requirement is that I live in student housing but the idea of a roommate is daunting.
I've got a 504 (special needs plan) for anxiety disorder, SEVERE fatigue, and insomnia and my coping methods for these problems tend to be rather ocd (structure not cleanliness).
I wouldn't use this example with colleges but I missed a lot of class in high school because when I don't get enough sleep my body can't recuperate.
I'm getting a lot better, (I'm being medicated as if I have narcolepsy), but the nerves part obviously is still present. </p>
<p>I know I can get excellent diagnoses and recommendations but does "disabled" apply only to kids in wheel chairs or something more obvious and dramatic.</p>
<p>It's not at all impossible to get a single dorm as a first year, but you won't be able to do it in a smaller house like Haven/Wesley, Hubbard, or maybe even Chapin and the Green Street houses. In larger houses like King/Scales or Cutter/Ziskind it won't be much of a problem (I'm a long time Cutter-ite and several of our first years had singles last year, since we always have more first years than double rooms (We only have eight doubles and many more first years than that). </p>
<p>When/if you get accepted, you'll get a housing form and be able to put down all of your medical conditions, which I'm sure will be weighted properly. They'll probably give you a single, or if not you can ask health services to move you. You might have to sacrifice life in your "dream house" until you have a little more seniority, but at least you'll get your own space in one of the houses.</p>
<p>I would not mention these conditions at all until it comes time to select housing. You don't want the admissions office questioning whether you can hack residential college life.</p>
<p>Yay this is good news. I don't mind not having my "dream house", I just don't want to be obviously cloistered in a specifically special needs dorm... </p>
<p>yeah I'm concerned over how to deal with the whole situation. I know my grades have been affected drastically, as well as my course load and well pretty much everything. By affected I mean I'm not applying to any ivys, I still pulled off a 3.7 uw and 2000 on the SAT. Thats it in range so idk if mentioning it would do more harm than good.</p>
<p>You should definitely mention it for housing purposes. Smith doesn't have "special needs dorms," but they can easily accomodate a medical condition, and it's important not only for your own well-being but so that a toxic roommate situation is not created with another student as well. </p>
<p>Also, you should make sure that the school you eventually attend is informed of your medical needs that might affect your academic performance. Smith at least, tries to help students who need it as much as they can, and they won't sequester you, I promise.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about the "dream house" either. Most Smithies appear to be pretty happy with the House they find themselves in and for those who don't, transferring is no big deal. </p>
<p>Smith appears to do a reasonably good job at helping students with various health issues, whether short- or long-term.</p>
<p>Among all the bonuses at Smith, the ability of the adm staff to find a great fit for a roommate is a non-negligeable one. D requested a single and is much happier with her roomie than she could have imagined. They really studied the housing questionaire. I'm sure you can get a single, but I'm equally sure that if you don't get one, it could be even more positive</p>