The Hatlen Center for the Blind, founded by Dr. Philip Hatlen in 1972, was the first transition program for visually impaired people in the country, and still is the only one that expects students to accept all the responsibilities that go along with apartment living, including paying their own expenses and developing a real credit reputation. This is not a drill! There is no dormitory, no cafeteria, no one to take out the trash. All instruction takes place in the students' own apartments, or in the community. With the assistance of on site instructors, students have daily practice in acquiring fundamental living skills and applying them in a meaningful, real-world context. We are witness to the fact that the best way to empower students is not only by teaching adaptive skills but also by placing students in an environment that forces them to develop the essential skills of time management, problem solving, self-advocacy, and social skills. Students quickly become aware that "taking care of business" is a vital key to independence. The yearlong program gives students ample time to develop a framework of experience and build the self-confidence needed to shape their own independent lifestyles and then move on to the last transition...a life of their own.