<p>I'm a student at a very competitive prep school (about 15 kids accepted to Ivies in a class of 60 last year). I've always had trouble doing my homework, paying attention in class, and studying for tests, despite showing signs of above-average intelligence. This behavior has led to about a 3.3 GPA (WEIGHTED!). My parents saw my behavior as typical of people with ADHD, and they sent me to a psychiatrist. A battery of tests confirmed my parents' suspicions, and I am beginning to undergo treatment. </p>
<p>For reference, I have solid SATs (720 CR/580 M/660 W) and a 5 on the AP English Lit exam, both of which I achieved without even glancing at a study guide. </p>
<p>Will my diagnosis help explain my low grades? Should I even tell my counselor about this?</p>
<p>You should take this question to the LD forum. You can reach it by clicking on “Discussion Home” in the upper left of this screen and then scrolling down.</p>
<p>You also can search the Parents forum for threads on this topic.</p>
<p>Just so you know, one cannot be “diagnosed with ADHD”. Its not a disease. Its just a vague set of symptoms. Its like a myth. Kinda like global warming - everyone believes it and talks about it but there is not a spackle of credible evidence to support it. </p>
<p>P.S. Stop making excuses, admit that you made a mistake by not pushing yourself to concentrate and start working on correcting it. You can lie to us but at least dont lie to yourself. </p>
<p>I know some people just make-up having ADHD or use it as an excuse, but you shouldn’t make assumptions. The OP had a legitimate question, and even IF it is all in his head (which it might be, I don’t know), you shouldn’t give yourself the right to chastise him based on your own false inferences. So what? He has ADHD. You don’t know him. You’ve never observed his study habits. You can’t just say it’s a “myth” when you’re reading someone’s words off of a computer screen, much less diagnose him.</p>
<p>And by the way, how do you explain the fact that ADHD meds help people that are “diagnosed” with this disease (calms them down), while it only serves to do the exact opposite for people who don’t have it (excites them)?</p>
<p>YAHA, be careful not to generalize what worked for you to what will or has worked for others similarly situated.</p>
<p>Some ADHD sufferers, which is to say: some “people who have trouble concentrating or staying on task” … that is if you put them in a room with their homework, lock the door, come back two hours later, and find they’ve been staring at the wall and daydreaming for the entire two hours, and no matter what combination of rewards, punishments or behavior modification techniques are employed, nothing works … respond to brain chemistry altering drugs like Adderol or similar. Some respond to drugs + behavior mod, and some are able to respond to their own determination to overcome the obstacle – this was YOUR success. Just as some dislectics are able through a variety of coping skills to thrive in the classroom. Dislectics are not “lying to themselves”, and ADHD sufferers are not making it up either.</p>
<p>Just take care not to generalize your experience to everyone. We are all born with a slightly different brain chemistry, and that’s science, not speculation.</p>
<p>Next I’m wondering if your prescription for clinically depressed people will be “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re lying ot yourself. Just cheer up!”.</p>
<p>If you have strong documentation to support your diagnosis, your school counselor can help you apply for accommodations when taking standardized tests, like the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject tests, AP tests, etc. A couple of my friends have medical reasons for getting extended time and they said it made a huge difference in how they scored. Look into it. GOOD LUCK!!</p>
<p>To satiravelvet:
You cannot pretend to unequivocally prove the case and be in position to rest it by just asking a couple of superficially provocative quesitons. How do you explain that these same people have to go through bunch of different meds before (and if) they find the one that “helps”??? While I agree that everyone’s anatomy is very peculiar, it is pretty irresponsible to say that one is “diagnosed with ADHD”. One cannot be diagnosed with a vagueness. When there is scientific proof to this “disease”, I will be the first to admit my mistake. However, as of now, I have more evidence to think that most of ADHD, ADD “diagnosis” are forms of mass psychosis. </p>
<p>To the DunninLA:
People are not born clinically depressed. They acquire this syndrom during their lives, some sooner, some later. As you probably know, some dont acquire it at all !!! From my experience, those “clinically depressed people” are also the ones who lack a goal in their life and dont know that for which they live. </p>
<p>To the original poster:
I wish you well !!! I was trying to motivate you by being harsh. I truly believe that you will do much better just by reading some good self-development books or blogs. Good luck.</p>
<p>P.S. To all posters: I am not trying to fight against the whole world, I am just providing the OP with an alternate point of view that could be of help to them.</p>
<p>the diagnosis will get you accomodations meaning longer test taking times etc. if you need the help</p>
<p>i dont think it will help justify poor grades or anything. i myself have a similar condition. it just means you need to kep busy and multitask. i normally do 3 classes homework simultaneously otherwise i cant focus at all</p>
<p>If you read about the issue at hand, you will find that there are just as many theories about ADHD as an invention and not discovery as there are about ADHD as a biological phenomenon. Moreover, the latter theories are still theories and there is no conclusive evidence that either ADHD or ADD are in fact a disease. However, I have to agree that there was some interesting progress made in recent years that provides more (but nowhere near enough to make it conclusive) evidence to support the “scientific” version.</p>
<p>P.S. Sarcasm is healthy only when it is backed by knowledge and competence, Professor Galoisien. I am constantly on this issue because I have all the symptoms of an ADD person, but unlike those on pills, I have learned to cope with it by other means.</p>
<p>Of course, your symptoms could be less severe, from a different route, you are not having a disabled or overactive gene that inhibits other routes of treatment, and most of all, you know of the condition and can take appropriate steps based on this fact.</p>
<p>Take for example, autism. Autism is a collective term describing what is probably a range of disorders with different causes. In order to determine a definite cause you have to employ differential diagnosis.</p>
<p>Oh LOOK my tumor went away without chemo or radiotherapy and those cancer patients should just suck it up.</p>
<p>there is a radical difference between Cancer and ADHD…</p>
<p>i see your point and I agree that it is an issue. I just dont think that Universities are going to lower their standards because of it</p>
<p>I have a few friends with disabilities. one has a vision problem and as a result, he is given enlarged versions of the notes, all the presentations (which arent always available to everyone) and extra time should they need it.</p>
<p>They arent graded differently. a right is a right and a score warranting an A gets one, nothing less</p>
<p>So the way it seems, the OP may be able to get help with the problem, not acceptance of poor scores.</p>
<p>Let’s get back to the OPs question. As mentioned, if you get enough doctor’s support you can get additional time when taking SATs. Also, it’s good to know in terms of looking at colleges that eill offer any support you may need.</p>
<p>Don’t count on it getting you into colleges your stats don’t support however.</p>
<p>“the diagnosis will get you accomodations meaning longer test taking times etc. if you need the help”</p>
<p>Not necessarily. For the SAT, and maybe the ACT, there is much required in the way of documentation. If I am not mistaken, your school will have to document that you had , and benefited from, accommodations over a period of time.From what i understand, this documentation is not a DOCTOR thing, but an educational one.</p>
<p>Sure, but cancer is a diverse condition. Different tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes may be involved, from patient to patient. Some cancers are more resistant to apoptotic signals than others.</p>
<p>Why can’t people just admit that they’re irresponsible and have poor time management, instead of just running to a doctor and getting “diagnosed” with some psychological problem and using it as an excuse?</p>
<p>From what I recently saw with my nephew it was both. They needed outside doctors/therpists to write very detailed information on his disabilities and the school did the same. It was not easy, they were denied the first go round and many kids are denied period.</p>
<p>ADHD is real. Stop this ridiculousness and ask any certified psychiatrist. </p>
<p>One, people with ADHD are often given extended time on tests. There have been studies done that show that this extended time really leads to an increase in their scores. (No duh, you might say.) However, there have also been studies done where “normal” people are given extended time. Their scores do not increase nearly as much as the scores of people with ADHD do.</p>
<p>Two, true ADHD is not just manifested in academic situations. My family members have ADHD, and I can’t get their attention. Like, I’ll talk to them and be perfectly audible and they won’t hear me because their minds are off somewhere else. Also, we’ll be driving, and my dad will go, “Did you see that?” about some random thing on the side of the road that no normal driver would notice before it being pointed out. I know this is anecdotal, but it’s evidence nonetheless.</p>
<p>Three, if it was purely a “head trick”, then what explains ADHD being passed down genetically? What explains its connections with narcolepsy and autism?</p>
<p>I have more, but I have a feeling this is useless anyways. Meet some kids with serious LD’s. Then you’ll get what I’m saying. And to the OP: good luck! I know dealing with this can be tough, but things are going to start improving now that you’ve gotten help.</p>
<p>I disagree ith poster YAHA - one of my parents is a psychiatrist and ADHD is real. I do believe it is over- diagnosed but if you went to a reputable physcian ( I assume you did so) Then, you might have it. I think you could craft an essay on overcoming ADHD for college letters- and this might boost your chances. However, you should really go to the LD forum about this- obviously the LDers will give better advice.</p>