Talking College College-Ready Card Deck – Tips & Prompts for College-Bound Students with Learning Differences

Prepare for College with Confidence

The Talking College College-Ready Card Deck is a practical, conversation-driven toolkit designed to support families and neurodivergent students as they approach the college transition. With 55 cards spanning nine thoughtful themes, it offers grounded prompts, real-life scenarios, and insider tips to help map out readiness steps before campus life begins. A built-in resources list complements the prompts, creating a compact playbook you can revisit during planning or family discussions.

Key benefits you may notice include clearer conversations about expectations, better awareness of available campus services, and practical guidance for navigating accommodations. The deck emphasizes collaboration between students and families, inviting ongoing dialogue rather than a one-time plan. While outcomes will vary, many users find the prompts helpful for surface-level planning and deeper preparation alike.

What this deck covers

• The Big Questions
• Family Expectations
• Disability Accommodations
• Academic Readiness
• Executive Function Readiness
• Self-care Readiness
• Healthcare Readiness
• Social & Emotional Readiness
• Independent Living Skills

In total, 55 cards accompany a resources list, offering hundreds of insider tips across these nine themes. The design supports practical dialogue, allowing families to decide whether a skill is new, in progress, or complete as they plan for campus life.

How to use the cards

1. Review a theme with the student and family during a dedicated planning session.
2. Mark each skill as new, in progress, or complete to track growth.
3. Refer to the tips and the resources list to locate campus supports and accommodations.
4. Use the prompts to create a realistic, action-oriented plan for college readiness.

The deck is crafted to feel approachable and collaborative, inviting thoughtful discussion in a fun, low-pressure setting. It focuses on possibilities and practical steps rather than guarantees, helping families align expectations and support needs as they evolve.

Real-life use cases

Whether you’re working through orientation goals, preparing a college visit, or planning for the first semester, this deck provides a structured way to talk through important topics. Imagine a family dinner where a parent and student use the prompts to identify what’s working well and what needs more planning. Or picture a planning session with a tutor or advisor, using the cards to surface accommodations and services that might be beneficial once campus life begins. The accompanying resources list can help you locate contacts, forms, and campus offices to reach out to before move-in day.

Overall, the Talking College deck aims to support thoughtful, informed conversations that can lead to clearer action steps. It offers a framework for planning that respects individual needs and avoids overpromising results, presenting a spectrum of possibilities based on thoughtful preparation and engagement with campus resources.