<p>Not dealing with severe LDs, but I think the most important thing we did for our kids was not nagging them about homework in high school. Because I didn’t hold their hands ormonitor computer use heavily I was reasonably confident that they would be able to manage their time in college. It seemed to me that the kids with more helicoptery parents were more likely to crash and burn in college.</p>
<p>I would choose the college carefully. Since you mentioned math as a potential problem - </p>
<p>The math classes at the schools we looked at, for example, have ranged from classes where homework was assigned weekly and all homework and exams were graded by hand (some opportunity for partial credit, explanation of mistakes) and students entered at a similar level (as a result of a placement test), to classes where many of the students had covered most of the material in high school (keep in mind that even at many schools that are not all that competitive many students have taken at least a year of calculus that they will repeat in college) and all homework and exams were multiple choice, scantron graded exams. While tutoring was generally available at all schools even to students not diagnosed with an LD, tutors could be graduates (sometimes with M.S. degrees) or other undergraduates who had gotten an A the previous semester. Sometimes, tutor accessibility could be a problem. </p>
<p>Classes ranged from no curve, to steep curves applied at the end of the semester (such that students had no idea of whether they were passing the class until too late to drop.) Some schools require instructors to pass their own English speaking exam before getting in front of a class, while others do not. While all professors hold office hours, professors teaching a class of 25 students are generally more accessible than those teaching a class of 200 or more. </p>
<p>Also, we have noticed that schools vary quite a bit wrt the easiest math class that will satisfy a requirement. Outside of accredited engineering programs, majors at different schools also vary wrt how much math is needed to complete the major. Sometimes there is a “math lite” version of a major such as economics or psychology, and often the math required by a major will not be enough to gain admission to a graduate program. We noticed for environmental studies majors, in particular, that math requirements can vary from a course in statistics (not calc-based) to multivariable calc or even differential equations. It is not always the most selective schools that have the most rigorous math requirements, either.</p>
<p>I am guessing that you will register at a disabilties center, but what was interesting to us is that many of the “services” that parents fight to get onto their student’s iep in high school are provided as a matter of course to any student at some colleges, whether or not they have registered with the disabilities center. Look for student notetakers in intro classes, formal study groups, and tutoring centers in particular.</p>
<p>Frazzled, Thanks for the level of detail. You made me recall my own experience (in greater detail) and I can validate all that you note from my own experience (now that it’s recalled). I think the challenge ahead will be extracting that level of insights from the schools themselves, but I’m sure we can with deliberate effort. Thanks.</p>
<p>EpeeAssassin (I’m guessing you fence?) – find out when your HS does the triennial evaluation and make sure it includes notes or commentary so your child gets full accomodations in college. If they do the triennial too soon (like freshman or sophomore year) I think it doesn’t carry over fully to college. My son has a LD and an IEP. I’m looking for schools where the support is “built in” (small classes, not too challenging, they’ll know if he doesn’t show up for class) vs. where you have to go and get it. All the resources in the world don’t help if he won’t help himself.</p>