Why are there so few disabled graduate students?

[@YourCompassRose]

This is such a good video! I just started a PhD recently too and while I'm not disabled, I love hearing people talk about these barriers into grad school that are SO REAL AND POTENTIALLY FIXABLE.

[@hopeforescape884]

I was going to say, almost every grad student I know is on anti-depressant/anxiety medication, me included 😅 Good point about 'disclosing' disabilities, I have never reported having a disability when applying for work or school.

[@krip-hopnation925]

Thanks, I'm a fourth year Ph.D. student at UCLA.. Good luck!

[@sophiegeek1]

I've had an invisible disability since I was 13, and struggled throughout school. But when I went to university I didn't even consider that I might be entitled to help or support to do my course - until I started struggling (more than normal) late into the 2nd out of 3 years. I'd been trying so hard in years 1 & 2 my mind, body and soul were exhausted when the 3rd year came around. Society and personal ableism is so difficult to get past. I thought my inability to do activities and complete assignments was MY fault, an inherent flaw. When I did start needing more support, I felt like I was taking help away from other 'really disabled' people who needed it more. Now I'm proud to be part of the disabled community and happy to ask for the accomodations/support I need for work and socially, but I really feel for younger me who tried so hard to be 'normal' and felt like such a bad person when I failed over and over. Things might have been very different for me at uni if I'd had support from the beginning. Although maybe disclosing sooner would have impacted me in a different way ... 🤔

[@disabledconstellation]

It’s such a hard balance to get. Is stigma going to be worse than the benefits of accommodations? Unfortunately, in many cases the answer is still yes.

[@rogerorchard2317]

I went for a course at a university. I told them I was in a wheelchair. Luckily, the person who walked the wheelchair route to get from the train station found that they had built a building over the only listed ramp between 2 parts of the university. The only route they found was going up and down lift and across a roof, where they had to put in a small wooded ramp. (The roof was used as seating)

[@disabledconstellation]

I hate that! We shouldn’t have to jump through hoops like this!

[@AmeliaKC173]

I agree to your other reasons too though

[@AmeliaKC173]

Because we'd rather get a job and get out of poverty then pay more money or go into more debt doing post grad

[@realglutenfree]

But I mean, there must be some disabled people who grew up rich or well off, right? Even in my country, where universities are free, I dont see many people with disabilities at all.

[@jwsuicides8095]

Plus many of us earn far more money by not going to university. I can't tell you the number of people with degrees and their children that I've taught because I had actual skills to pass on. I was doing this while housebound.

[@tamicoil7069]

A PHD won't guarantee a job for someone with a disability. I have 2 college degrees and couldn't find a job in either field, I suspect because of discrimination that they don't want to hire someone on crutches.