Those professionals all play important roles, but their responsibilities are different from mine.

Pathfinder provides individualized consultation focused specifically on helping students and families understand and navigate disability-related issues in the college environment. I can spend time exploring a student's particular concerns, helping them prepare for situations they may encounter, developing practical strategies, and practicing skills such as communication and self-advocacy.

My experience as a disability services provider gives me an understanding of both the formal accommodation process and the practical realities students may encounter as they navigate college. Because I am not working within a school or university system, I also have the flexibility to spend more time helping students and families understand how the process works, think through questions before problems arise, and prepare for conversations with the people and offices they will need to work with.

My role is not to replace a student's high school staff or college disability services office. It is to provide an additional source of experienced, individualized guidance.

No. I do not act as a student's legal advocate, representative, or spokesperson with a college.

Instead, I help students prepare to advocate for themselves. This can include helping a student understand a situation, organize their concerns, prepare for a meeting, practice a conversation, or develop appropriate written communication.

My goal is to help students become more effective and confident participants in their own accommodation process.

No. I have worked with college students with a wide range of disabilities and health conditions.

These include learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, mobility and physical disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental health conditions, sensory disabilities, allergies and other medically related conditions.

My professional experience includes both academic accommodations and disability-related housing accommodations.

The needs of individual students can be very different, so consultation is based on the student's particular situation rather than diagnosis alone

You do not need to be an incoming student to work with Pathfinder.

Students may encounter new questions and challenges at many points during college. A student may already have accommodations but want help understanding how to use them effectively, communicating about a concern, adjusting to changing academic demands, developing stronger self-advocacy skills, or thinking through a disability-related situation.

No.

Accommodation decisions are made by the college or university based on its own procedures, the student's documentation, the nature of the disability, the requested accommodation, and other relevant factors.

I can help students and families prepare for the process, understand their documentation, identify questions that may need to be addressed, and communicate their needs effectively. I cannot determine eligibility for accommodations or guarantee that a particular accommodation will be approved.

No. Pathfinder is available to students at different stages of their college experience, including transfer students, currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students, adult and non-traditional students, and veterans.

I have particular professional experience working with student veterans, including serving as a designated disability services contact for veterans at one point in my higher education career.

Veterans and other nontraditional students may enter college with experiences, responsibilities, and concerns that differ from those of traditional-age students. Consultation can be tailored to those circumstances.

Yes.

Pathfinder is not limited to preparing students before college or before a semester begins. Students may seek consultation when a new issue develops, when they encounter difficulty using an accommodation, when academic demands change, or when they want help developing stronger communication, organization, or self-advocacy skills.

Services are provided based on need rather than through an ongoing weekly model. Some situations may require a single consultation, while others may benefit from additional meetings. Follow-up consultation is available upon request.

I provide education, preparation, coaching, and consultation related to disability and accommodations in higher education. This may include helping students and families understand college disability services, prepare for meetings, strengthen self-advocacy and communication skills, review documentation for general readiness, and think through disability-related challenges that arise during college.

I do not diagnose disabilities, provide therapy or legal advice, determine accommodation eligibility, make decisions on behalf of a college, or guarantee that an accommodation will be approved.