Too often students from all walks of life opt out of the college experience for fears unfounded: They won't admit me; I can't handle the workload; I'm not strong enough; No one there understands my circumstance.

Poppycock.

For every student who desires, there is a place in college. Your child's place may not be at the local university or the regional heavyweight, but there are slots for your kids somewhere out there so that they can have access to the technology, professors, curriculum and atmosphere that best fits their needs and aspirations.

Nearly all colleges and universities have a disabilities services department with trained staff to serve your child. At a school such as Pima Community College, where they enroll more students overall than does Arizona State University, there is nothing your child is going to throw at them that they have not already seen.

Check out this link to see how to get started with PCC. This is a muscular, fully-developed program. Yes, there are some forms, i.e., the "Proof of Disability" form, but this is SOP for colleges and universities and once you've completed some of the process, most of these things are one-offs. Note that PCC offers timelines for requesting accommodations and services. It's all there. This isn't their first rodeo. Your child, getting to a good relationship with a real person in the DSR department, is a really, really good idea. Having an advocate who can roll through some of the heavy lifting will help ensure that your child has what is needed, Day One.

So, while PCC has Disabled Student Resources, The University of Arizona has both the SALT Center and Disability Resource Center. The general catch-all at the UofA is the Disability Resource Center, known as the DRC. If you want a beefier level of support, the UofA's SALT Center offers fee-based programs. SALT is an acronym for Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques. You have to initiate a relationship with the SALT Center; they won't necessarily reach out to you. After all, this is the premier program for students with disabilities in the nation. For students using SALT services, the 6-year graduation rate hovers around 80 percent. The general population, over the same timeframe, is around 60 percent. You want your kid to graduate? Figure out how to make this program a reality in your child's tool bag and then make sure services are used.

Further, the reality is this: The UofA, Pima College and all the other schools would not have admitted your child if the admissions counselor did not have confidence that your child could make it through and graduate. If your student earns a general offer of acceptance, he or she should not only matriculate but also graduate as well. The data bear that out. And as with all graduates of a four-year college, the life-long material benefits as well as the personal sense of accomplishment last a lifetime.