<p>tk21769, do you think Colorado College would be a good school for kids with ADD? </p>
<p>Do you think it would be hard in the block system to study subjects like science, math and foreign languages that are cumulative if you have to keep interrupting them with other worthwhile subjects like English or Art History?</p>
<p>“Twistedxkiss-- what is your major, if you don’t mind revealing? I’m asking because I am wondering if my S should consider, eg, a graphic or media arts (or similar) major, since it would focus more on visual and kinesthetic strengths (and artistic) which he has.”</p>
<p>I am in political science. The auditory processing would be a problem for some because it is not uncommon for debates to break out in class, my situation is mild enough that I can cope but I am sure I have had classmates think I am slow or something before because I have not quite been able to keep up with what they are saying. It stings, but I know the truth, I have no choice but to let it go or give up what I love-- so I choose the former. On the whole it has not been a problem for me. My dyscalculia has always been my biggest issue, barring my life crisis this week with the foreign language department. As a dyscalculic it was cut and dry for me that math and science were out, and so were schools with high math gen ed requirements. The school of lit, science, and arts at Michigan doesnt have a general education math requirement, technically, and poli sci doesn’t require it. I had to look for little tricky things like that to find my program. For auditory processing I think it is probably less cut and dry and heavily dependent on how severely it affects him. I would make sure you are looking for programs that offer sign language or potentially latin (my school only teaches translation, no speaking or listening) or don’t have language requirements at all for what he’s looking to study. I am of the opinion that the specific program, its requirements, and its loopholes are more important than the major itself. </p>
<p>I don’t go to a small university, but I would wonder if some degree of self-advocation wouldn’t also be necessary at a small college, even if it is to a lesser degree. I know how frustrating that must be for you, you just have to keep trying to encourage him. He has rights, and they are rights that people regularly walk all over-- he WILL get walked on, if not now sometime later in life, if he doesn’t learn to care. I know YOU know that, so I guess I am preaching to the choir here. I never had parents to advocate for me, they never really thought it was a big deal, and I didn’t even know about my disabilities until college when I took action for myself because I was going to flunk out and I knew something must be wrong. Even if he isn’t listening now I can’t help but think your encouragement of him taking a proactive step for himself is a good thing that needs to continue. Most people, sooner or later, do get there. He is young yet and the words “disability” and “disorder” and “deficiency” and all those other d words we use can be tough pills to swallow. A lot of people feel like it makes them somebody different from who they thought they were or how they see themselves and it makes it hard to accept, it takes them a while to come to an understanding about what the disorder really means about them and become comfortable with whatever they decide.</p>
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<p>Shawbridge, I don’t have a solid basis for answering that question and I’m a little reluctant to speculate since it is more sensitive than the usual “fit” question. I would say, just because the block plan is an interesting alternative, and Colorado College impresses me as a very well-run supportive school, that it’s worth checking out for good students with certain special needs.</p>
<p>ADD was not the issue in our case.</p>
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<p>This question comes up a lot in discussions of the block plan. They do have a system of supplemental courses that seems to address this. My S, in his first 2 blocks (7 weeks altogether), took an intensive course in number theory. Now he’s moving on to non-math courses, but has been taking adjunct courses in math and Italian. I think you do have to develop some discipline and passion for keeping your skills sharp, and the schedule allows for that. </p>
<p>The jury’s still out. I heard a recent graduate say the block plan more realistically reflects the rhythms of the working world. Perhaps more so in project-centered fields such as IT.</p>