Admissions
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Call us at
215.525.0444
for more information.
Admissions Process
If you would like to request an application or need assistance in completing an application, call (267) 765-1507. See the answers to many of the frequently asked questions have about the admissions process.
Financial Aid
The Admissions Coordinator will review your application with you and make recommendations for potential sources of financial aid. Assistance will be provided where necessary regarding payment vouchers and other arrangements. Potential funding sources include Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Ticket to Work Program, and multiple waiver programs.
Admissions Skills Assessment / Individualized Education
A meeting will be scheduled at The Academy where admissions testing will be administered to determine the specific needs of each applicant. Potential students will participate in assessing their strengths and weaknesses relative to their vocational goals.
The Academy admissions testing procedure was custom-designed to evaluate a prospective student’s current skills prior to entering The Academy. Test-taking accommodations which may be needed by Persons with Disabilities are provided. The Admissions procedure has been approved for use by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The Academy is not geared to a specific career. The Academy is geared toward allowing each student to set his or her own specific career path. Career-related goals will be discussed at this meeting and an individual education plan as well as an individualized career plan will be developed. The Academy recognizes that people need to explore many paths to discover their competitive work skills.
Schedule of Classes
There are four semesters, each running eight to ten classes. Most classes run nine to ten weeks. Classes are held twice a week and are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Upon completion of your classes, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Earning this Certificate builds your confidence and enables you to take the next step toward your education or employment goals.
Class Overview
Each course will place an emphasis on your educational and job goals. Your assistive technology “hands-on training” continues to grow with each new class as practice carries on. You will learn how your new skills can help you on the job, what the job market is like and other aspects of Independent Living.
Instructors will work with you to evaluate what you have learned:
- Do you feel you have made progress from when you have started?
- Do you have a better understanding of the skills you have learned?
- Are you confident that you can apply these skills in the everyday tasks of your career goal?
To assist you, additional help will be provided by your teachers to allow extra practice time or one-on-one tutoring. Pre-skill reviews and final examinations are performed to measure your progress.
Placement Opportunities
Internship and competitive placement activities start upon admission to The Academy. Through internships and special projects, students will have an opportunity to experience the real business world. Students are matched with mentors who help to improve their interview skills, and develop a portfolio of work products. Competitive job outcomes are aggressively pursued by every job seeker with guided placement actions supported by The Academy.
Frequently Asked Admissions Questions
What’s the first step if I want to attend the Academy?
Attend a scheduled Taste of Technology Tour (TOT)
day. You get to see our facility, experience our technology, and meet
with our instructors for a one-on-one career exploration session and
complete an application. This interview will assist in determining
your goal. With your approval, a criminal background check is completed
and we proceed to investigate appropriate funding sources, including,
but not limited to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid
waivers, and Social Security’s Ticket to Work.
How are the classes funded?
For many of our students, a referral
is submitted to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR);
they will contact applicants within ten days to set up an appointment.
Promptly attending your scheduled appointment with an OVR counselor
will keep the process moving along productively. Please bring to
the meeting the specified documents requested by OVR. See below
to learn more about Medicaid waivers, another regular source of funding.
What can I expect to happen once OVR contacts me?
At the time of your interview with OVR,
you will be given medical forms which are to be completed by your
doctor as to the nature of your disability and if you are capable
of working. Upon completion of all paperwork, OVR will make a decision
to approve an authorization for an Academy assessment. This assessment
is to determine your current skill level and what additional skills
are needed for you reach your career goal. A decision may also be
made by OVR to re-direct you to another program/resource which better
meets your specific goals.
What if I am on a Medicaid Wavier?
Many prospective students are interested
in community integration services which afford them the opportunity
to learn how to transition into the community through technology,
reading or writing, etc. This training can help you to maintain your
independence while shifting back to the neighborhood. For those who
want a period of time while learning to determine if in fact they
want to enter the workforce and are truly up to the task of employment,
you can seek “pre-vocational services”. At the time of your one-on-one
interview on a TOT day, our staff will determine if you are enrolled
in a supported waiver. Paperwork involving these particular waiver
funding sources is submitted directly to your Supports Coordinator.
The State will determine approval for this type of training within
a two week turn-around time. Upon approval from the State, your evaluation
will be conducted to determine classes and assistive technology,
and you will be scheduled for the next available semester.
What if I have a Ticket to Work from Social Security?
The Ticket to Work is a Social Security
program that pays for education and placement services. It is not
a guarantee of employment or acceptance into any program. If you
are a Ticket to Work holder, you must attend a TOT day and go through
the same standard application steps. If you are accepted into the
Academy, we will either use your Ticket for funding or we will arrange
to have it assigned through another funding source (such as OVR).
I don’t know if I am eligible for any of these funding sources. Should
I still apply?
Yes. While OVR, waivers, and Ticket to
Work are our most likely funders, there are other options that may
be explored in a one-on-one meeting.
How soon can I start classes?
Once we receive the authorization from
the funding source to pursue potential enrollment here, the Admissions
Coordinator will contact you to schedule an evaluation. Your evaluation
will be conducted by our rehabilitation engineers from the Sierra
Group. Our rehab engineers make the recommendations for necessary
classes, assistive technology and accommodations in order to become
competitive employees in the workforce. Once the evaluation is completed,
your funding source (OVR, waiver, etc) will make its final decision
and at this point, your name will be placed on our student enrollment
list for the next available semester. We have four semesters. Three
weeks prior to the new semester, each student/jobseeker receives
their new class schedule. For new students, all are required to attend
Student Orientation prior to starting your first class.
