<p>My son has ADHD and it would be great if we could find a school for him that specializes in helping kids with learning disabilities.</p>
<p>Straight out of The College Finder book:
Adelphi- NY; Alabama U; American International- MA; American U- DC; Arizona U; Augsburg C- MN; Barat C-IL; Beacon C-FL; Bradford C- MA; Brenau U-GA; Cal. Poly State U; Curry C-MA; Davis & Elkins C-WV; Denver U; DePaul U-IL; Fairleigh Dickenson-NJ; Frostberg State U-MD; Hartford U-CT; Hofstra U-NY; Indianapolis U-IN; Iona C-NY; Landmark C-VT; Lesley C-MA; Loras C-IA; Lynn U-FL; Marshall U-WV; Mitchell C-CT; Monmouth U-NJ; Mt. Ida C-MA; Muskingum C-OH; National-Louis U-IL; New England C-NH; New England U-ME; St. AMbrose U-IA; St. Thomas Aquinas C-NY; Schreiner C-TX; Southern Illinois U, Carbondale; Southern Vermont C; Truckee Meadows Community C-NV; Unity C-ME; Vermont U; Vincennes U-IN; W.Virginia Wesleyan C; Wingate C-NC; Wisconsin U of Madison; Wisconsin U of Oshkosh...</p>
<p>Others: Manhattanville C-NY; Marist C-NY; Marymount C-CA; Muhlenberg C-PA; Northeastern U-MA; Providence C-RI; Seattle U-WA; Syracuse U-NY; Wittenberg U-OH</p>
<p>Hope these help.</p>
<p>A friend's daughter (ADHD also) is a freshman at Mercyhurst (Erie, PA), and is doing well.</p>
<p>My son also has ADD. We did a LOT of research and would strongly urge you to look at both Adelphi and especially Fairleigh Dickenson, which is the one that we picked. </p>
<p>Fairleigh Dickenson has enormous tutoring options. The learning disabilities program (LD) offers supports for each class,but reduces the number of supports as the years go on by one support. Thus, you might get 4 supports in the Freshmen year, 3 in the sophomore year etc. They do this to try to wean the kids off the supports as a crutch, and it seems to work.In addition, there are peer tutors.</p>
<p>The school makes a contract with the kids that if they come to the LD program regularly, the school will make every effort to help them. With my son, they have succeeded admirably. His over all GPA is 3.2. I also liked the programs offered at FD. In fact, my son has rarely complained about bad teachers. Also, he gets more time for exams and can take the exam in a quiet room with little or no disturbance.</p>
<p>Moreover, there is NO EXTRA CHARGE for all these extra services or tutoring, and FD is moderately priced to begin with. Also, LD kids get first crack at registration. My son always gets the classes that he needs. The LD program also researches the professors and tries to ensure that he takes professors that are well known to be very good for the LD kids and who have a good rating as well.</p>
<p>The only catch is that you have to apply and be accepted to both the school and the LD program. The LD program only takes about 50 kids yearly.</p>
<p>I should also note that Fairleigh Diskenson has a lot of majors to choose from, which will give your kid lots of options. They use a lot of professors who are currently in the field or who were working in their respective field. Strongest program is business but they have other decent programs as well.</p>
<p>Trust me: I can't imagine a better program for LD kids.</p>
<p>A friend's daughter (with ADHD that led to subsequent drug problems) went to Landmark (after the drug rehab) and was successful in school for the first time in her life--it relly worked for her. She's happily and gainfully employed these days.</p>
<p>I think Landmark is only two years though and seems to be more of a college to teach the skills to be successful in college, than actually some place where you would not continue on from, however they do have the first two years of whatever you would need
For what it's worth, I think at least half of my daughters friends at Reed have ADD ( ADHD) including herself, and while I was annoyed that her ADD coach wasn't replaced when he left two months before the end of the school year, in general it has been a good place for ADD. Many tests are untimed/unproctored, and the small size allows students to get a lot of support from profs ( if they utilize it).
My daughter even ran an ADD support group every week, something that I doubt she would have done at a larger school. However, they don't specialize in kids with LDs, but they do have support for them, so don't rule out a school that otherwise seems like a good fit, they may have resources that they don't advertise.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the info. I am not sure what my son wants to do. He is very unmotivated and doesn't know what he wants to do. He has problems socially and I would worry that he wouldn't do well away from home, but I suppose I have to let go sometime. I see him doing a trade of some type rather that going to college but we are looking at all avenues. Thanks so much</p>
<p>Tina, perhaps going to a community college would be a good thing for your son. That way he could ease into a college curriculum while being at home.</p>
<p>I believe that just because your child turns 17 or 18, it doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to go away to college! They all mature differently... Don't worry about "letting go..." your son may just need a bit more time.</p>
<p>my daughter took a gap year before college and it helped immensely. She had been one of the youngest in her grade which compounded her "immaturity", now she has a better perspective of what it takes to be successful.
Also if your son investigates some vocational classes and later decides he wants to attend college, I believe he will still be able to attend as a freshman since vocational classes generally don't transfer.</p>
<p>A friend's daughter is in her second year at Mitchell College in New London, CT and really likes it. It is extremely small, but has outstanding tutoring and such for LD students.</p>
<p>There is a college guide specifically written for kids with ADD. You may want to take a look at it. Beyond that, you need to visit and ask lots of questions to find the match between a college and your child.</p>
<p>My friend who had a learning disability went to Curry College in MA. They were able to help so much the first year that s/he transferred to Emerson in Boston and graduated from there with a degree in communications.</p>
<p>perspective of a recent grad of Landmark</p>
<p>Landmark has it's pros and cons.</p>
<p>Pro: It's the only college in the country specializing in LD's and AD/HD students.
Con: It's the only college in the country specializing in LD's and AD/HD students, so they can charge whatever the (bleep) they want to for tuition. Right now the tuition (plus room and board, etc) just skyrocketed to $45,000/year. It's a good thing I worked my ass off, got great grades, and got a few scholarships or I would be in debt until I retire.</p>
<p>Pro: The teachers and faculty are awesome. You meet with your advisor once a week and there are many other services available (writing center, coaching services, coursework support, etc)
Con: The schedule is not set up like a real college. Each class meets 3 or 4 times a week.</p>
<p>Pro: You meet people that are just like you or uncannily similar. The people you meet and befriend will be your closest friends. Be careful though...see below.
Con: Along with the best of people, you also get the worst of people...alot of people who go to Landmark are there because their parent(s) (who have enough money) just wanted them out of their hair. Lot's of behavioral issues, immaturity, drug abuse...oh god! This one time I was walking around Middle Hall and I saw a guy douse himself with lighter fluid and set himself on fire...it was (bleep)ed up!</p>
<p>Pro and Con: The ratio...at Landmark there is one girl to every 6 guys. This is both good and (very, very) bad. Think about it.</p>
<p>There's much more stuff to talk about regarding Landmark, but I have to study for my Anatomy Quiz on the skeletal system. I really could talk about my 2 year experience forever.</p>
<p>( hope that helps but keep in mind just one persons viewpoint)</p>
<p>How challenging is the academic program at Curry?</p>
<p>I don’t have the answer for you but have been asking the same question–anyone out there can help both of us out??</p>
<p>I have learned an awful lot about this in the past 6 months!<br>
First, there is no one college, or list of colleges, that is a match for a label or diagnosis. Like all other kids, it is a question of fit… but there is less of a margin of error!</p>
<p>Here are some of the things I would figure out first:
What helps your child thrive best now, in these three settings: academic, social, self care/at home?
What formal accommodation? (such as an iep, or explicit help you have developed, like charts or using a pda? What professionals does the student use, like a doctor for meds, or a therapist?)
Then look at the same three areas from a perspective of INFORMAL accommodations. (I realized I had completely neglected this – my son’s entire small school, and our whole household is a series of infinite accommodations to his needs.) what needs to continue and what is there just as a cushion?
What is your student’s ability and desire (not always the same) to self advocate, to ask for help when needed, to recognize help is needed? What model for help works best – asking for help when needed, or having help pre-arranged and checking in and monitoring?
How important is the environment as opposed to the academics? (small school, nurturing school as important as support in academics; support in academics sufficient and student can handle any social or physical environment.)</p>
<p>Start talking directly to the student about this. Pose a lot of either/or questions. Explain that lots of students thrive in college because colleges know exactly how to provide support for students with adhd type issues, and there are all sorts of models out there. One is for student to stop in and ask for help when needed, another is to set it up beforehand, check in regularly, what would she prefer. You might be surprised! But don’t make it a matter of, you poor thing you need this to get by (not that I am saying you would).</p>
<p>Look at the college websites… how easy or hard is it to find the school’s office of learning support (or whatever it is called)? When you visit the school, drop by and visit the office, you don’t need to make a big deal out of it at the early stage, but are they inviting? Ask what they offer. Does it jell with what you and daughter envision working? If you like them, you can talk in more depth.</p>
<p>if you want accommodations and real services you need up to date testing.
pm me as well. If you live in the dc metro area, I would be happy to recommend the private counselor we are using, from whom I have learned a universe! I am sensitive that some of what I have learned is proprietary, but the real gift of her services is her getting to know the student personally, and how much she knows about the school. I also know how lucky I am to have such a service within my ambit.</p>
<p>try this [kids</a> learning program](<a href=“http://www.icaneducation.ca%5Dkids”>http://www.icaneducation.ca) it helped a lot</p>
<p>Beacon College in Florida is for ADHD and LD kids.</p>