<p>My S plans to apply to BFA acting programs and LACs noted for good theater. He, like many, many kids (too many) was diagnosed with ADHD when young. He never had bad grades, but his academic record is not stellar ( B-plus student). We took him off meds when he was in the 9th grade because they adversely affected his athletic performance. He is a bright and interesting kid; intellectual depth, socially aware, leader - perhaps, at times, too bold a leader.
I feel like his grades and test scores misrepresent him; that he could hold his own anywhere, but his restlessness and impulsiveness in the classroom has had a negative impact on his grades and his teachers' understanding/appreciation of him. The question: should we be up-front about his diagnosis? Can we shoot higher than his grades/SAT would suggest, explaining that, had we kept him on meds, he would have done better? How up-front should we be? Might it work against us? He has outstanding ECs - accomplished athlete, acting.
Our dream schools include Bennington (BA), Syracuse (BFA), Rutgers (BFA), Boston University (BFA), Minnesota-Guthrie (BFA). Obviously, the audition is heavily weighted in BFA applications, but I woory that his stats could be a drag. Matters are further complicated in that not only must he gain acceptance, but with the listed privates, he will be applying for 'tuition exchange' (parents are academics in tuition exchange program).</p>
<p>Facing the same question with my S, ADD without H. Mine hated the way the drugs made him feel. He is also B+ with no meds. His issue is testing/memorization-- doesn't quite have the patience to memorize facts for tests.</p>
<p>Anyhow I was thinking that we'd have the counselor deal with it in her rec, if it is dealt with at all. For schools that are a "reach" it may be necessary to deal with. For schools that his record makes a "match" we may just leave it alone.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>My first inclination reading this, is why would you put anything that could be perceived in a negative light in the application? I don't know, it just doesn't seem like a selling point.</p>
<p>weenie: good point, if you assume that ADHD is entirely negative; for my S it has been an impediment, as HS does not provide an environment in which ADHD is an asset. I have learned how to make my own ADHD an asset. Many ADHDers blossom once in an environment that allows them to tap into its 'silver lining'. Therefore, my impulse is to encourage him to disclose it to reach schools. But, I ask the question because I may be mistaken.
As a parent and someone in higher ed., I think that the 'fit' issue is real important with an ADHD kid. He has adapted enough so that he does not require any special treatment once in, but I have reservations about sending my S to a college that is merely advanced HS - same old same old.</p>
<p>Could not agree more. I think my son would thrive in an open curriculum school and would HATE one with a bunch of Gen eds.</p>
<p>BTW-- don't know if this is true or not-- one of my son's counselors at his old school is a Dartmouth alumnus and he said that Dartmouth (and other top colleges) were beginning to recognize that quite a few ADD kids go on to do very innovative (and lucrative) things after college, they can become good alumni donors, etc-- thus the school was becoming more welcoming to ADD kids who could handle the overall academic load.</p>
<p>My son put his ADD and LD in the additional information section of the common application. He did not use it in his essays. I never saw the counselor report so I don't know if it was mentioned.
I think it helped explain his irratic grade history plus it shed some light on his huge difference in Reading and Math SAT scores.
I think it was the right thing for him to do. He ended up getting into almost all the schools he applied. And with his grades 3.2 average I think most of his schools were reaches for him.
In one case after a deferral he visited and had a meeting with the disabilities director. I think that interview helped him get into that school.</p>
<p>IMO
it is unfortunate, that received accomodations re entrance tests are no longer noted.
I feel, that if the disability is significant enough to warrant accommodations on tests & will be needed in college- you want to know upfront, what resources the schools have to help and how easy/difficult it will be to work with them
(my older D had accomodations on tests- was admitted to all her schools)</p>
<p>My younger daughter for example has a 504 plan and while accomodations aren't noted on tests anymore, I hope that if she asks her AP teacher she had in 10th gd for a rec, he will mention her disability and the work she did to compensate for that</p>
<p>D missed ~ 30 school days in ea of 9 - 11th grades due to medical cond (she also had surgery for it), and her grades were affected. She also tranferred HSs in 10th and her grades dipped that year. She went on new meds in 2nd half of 11th that helped her miss fewer days and her grades improved, and that continued in 12th. She has a B+ avg.</p>
<p>In her app she mentioned this simply as a challenge faced and overcome. She didn't get into any of her reach schools and that's fine - she's happy with where she's been accepted. My guess is the reach schools gave some (but little) consideration to her situation and at the end of the day based their decisions on her numbers. (She had great essays and ECs, but so many students do, too.) "Fit" cannot be overstated because it lays out many opportunities for engagement, spirit and success.</p>
<p>My S can prepare for a play till 9PM, get up to lift for football at 6AM, and manage to study enough in between. He needs to be 'on the go', and the classroom drives him up the wall. Give him a project that interests him and he will excel. Put him in a group and he will lead it. But put him in a cage and he will struggle to get a B. I used to joke with my wife when he was little that had he grown up in a tribal society, he would have been out front leading the hunt; our biggest worry being that he would have been devoured by a tiger or lion as a consequence of engaging in risky behavior - definately a hunter, as compared to a gatherer.</p>
<p>briansteffy
he may want to look at colorado college
They have one class at a time- for three weeks I think
which gives them a lot more flexibilty in "out of the box" classroom experiences
It seems to be pretty intense, but they also have frequent breaks
D has had several friends from grade school attend- not sure if they had ADD, but it sounds interesting</p>
<p>oh and even though Cheney is an alum and co springs is kinda conservative- that part of Co is beautiful and her friends that attended are not conservative- I think LACs in general are more middle of road to liberal</p>
<p>emerald - Colorado college is stringent in granting tuition exchange. Cornell College (Iowa) also does the same thing - one course at a time. It's on our radar screen, as it has a decent theater program, for a small LAC.</p>
<p>When my first ADD child applied to college I wrestled with this question and finally decided that I wouldn't want her to attend a college that didn't understand, accept and accommodate kids with learning disabilities. She wrote about ADD in the additional information section of the application, explaining when and how she was diagnosed, and stressing how hard she had worked to find study tactics and homework routines that help her stay organized and focused. She was accepted to her first choice college and graduated from there almost two years ago now.</p>
<p>If stated in application/essay, has anyone then discussed the issue in the interview? I am not sure whether interviewers would want to bring it up, as such information may be deemed as encroaching, in principle, on issues related to the Americans With Disabilities Act' (as applied to higher ed.).</p>
<p>Colleges will not ask about this..it's really up to the student to decide whether to disclose. Based on how much accomodations a student has needed, as mentioned above, some choose to elaborate on it in their application materials. I'd guess that once disclosed, then the ADD might be something that is discussed in an interview.</p>
<p>I think that if an ADD student discussed how they overcame ADD-related academic issues, that could be a very compelling point in an essay.</p>