<p>My daughter's HS counselor seems to think that Colorado College's block scheduling fits well with a student who is bright but significantly attention defecit primarily inattentive. The school has six weeks of one course at a time. My sister, who is also ADHD, thinks that this type of schedule would be terrible for an ADHD kid because a few "off days" could ruin a class grade. What do any other ADHD kids think?</p>
<p>D was briefly interested in Colorado College b/c of the block scheduling. The "few days off" disaster was a definite concern for us.</p>
<p>In one of the guide books astudent commented on missing 2 days of block classes was the equiv of missing over a weeks' worth of "regular" classes. This must be difficult for all sutdents, but especially so for ADD and other LD students.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I wouldn't think it would be too good. You focus all day long on one course, and it lasts for, what, a month. </p>
<p>Then that course is over, and it's on to the next course, all day long, for a month.</p>
<p>Why don't you ask your daughter if it sounds like an environment she'd prosper in...</p>
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<p>The school has a reputation of being a good place for ADD kids. My friend's highly paid LD educational consultant highly recommended it for her (very) ADD son.</p>
<p>I have ADD and so does my son. A one-course-at-a-time schedule would have been wonderful for me when I was in college. I wouldn't have had to keep track of what I had to do for four or five classes; I could have just concentrated on the one I was doing at the time. For me, that would have been fantastic.</p>
<p>It would suit my son wonderfully also, but unfortunately the only two colleges we know of with that kind of schedule are Colorado College and Cornell College (not Cornell University, but Cornell College in Iowa), and he does not like either of those locations.</p>
<p>As a CC grad, I would think the block plan (1 course every 3-1/2 to 7 weeks, some are 2 blocks long) would work well if you need a situation where you can focus on one subject and not have to be spread out all over the place. And it DOES allow for a change in focus/topic with every block so not tedious at all, and the block breaks give welcome diversion and the opportunity to do other things during the course of the year.</p>
<p>What are good adhd colleges in Colorado?</p>
<p>University of colorado at colorado springs has an excellent disablities office :)</p>
<p>My daughter transferred from a large university to Cornell College hoping for a better environment for her time management issues (ADD/inattentive). It was a good enough decision that her brother now goes there. Block scheduling simplifies the juggling, and allows for more hyperfocus on a subject – two ADD issues. </p>
<p>A friend who transferred as well has found that One Block at a Time means he can keep up with a course, and even excel, despite dyslexia that has held him back in the past. At Cornell, the breaks are BETWEEN courses, so there is no discontinuity issue …just a 4 day weekend without coursework every month or so. My kids have used the breaks to visit friends and travel around the mid-west.</p>
<p>We are big fans of block scheduling!</p>
<p>NYC —</p>
<p>Missing a few days is an issue – but serious illness can mean dropping ONE course, instead of stumbling or failing 4 or 5. We’ve seen it both ways, since daughter had mono in the semester system, and son had H1N1 and mono (4 months apart) on block plan. She ended up on academic probation, he dropped one of 9 blocks and the prof got him through a second one. </p>
<p>Its not just block scheduling — Cornell classes are under 20 students, most under 15. My daughter says she benefits from knowing she will be called on every single day…no hiding.</p>
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<p>There is a 3rd school like this - Quest in British Columbia.</p>
<p>Does block scheduling work for lab science courses? I talked with one CC student who said it was a real push fitting labs in as well.</p>
<p>I also wonder how well it works for subjects like math and languages that are cumulative. </p>
<p>ShawD is ADHD and I’d suggested it and her GC thought she had a good shot if she applied ED, but ShawD doesn’t seem to be all that interested because she is interest in biology and is concerned that it wouldn’t work well. I’d still like to visit and ask folks.</p>
<p>The way in which it does work is that you can concentrate in an area for multiple blocks. My daughter became a French Major because she took a French class her first block and just kept going for several blocks… I don’t know about sciences, but would think that the area of concern would be absence of time between labs and classes… scheduling labs isn’t hard at all, since there aren’t schedule conflicts. And, any time class size is capped at 15-20 there is an option to be flexible.</p>
<p>Perhaps because its easy to keep momentum in areas you enjoy most Cornell College students end up with either a double major or a major and a minor. My daughter is also majoring in American History, because she found professors there she couldn’t get enough of…</p>
<p>I am a Colorado College alumnus. The block plan (3 and 1/2 weeks per course, followed by a 4 and 1/2 day long weekend) is intellectually rigorous. If one becomes ill to the point that more than a few days of class are missed, the student needs to talk with his or her professor or advisor. Colorado College has been operating the Block plan for 40 years now. They have it figured out. Students get sick, injured, heart-broken, and all sorts of things. Faculty know how to work such things through with the student. As for the student who suffers from ADD or its variants, the fact of life is that every environment will be a challenge to students with those things. </p>
<p>The Colorado College education is not only a rigorous intellectual experience, it is a deep, rich and energizing experience. It is also an expensive experience. But the ‘value proposition’ of a CC education is that every student gets a personal – repeat, personal – education. The CC experience…personal, rigorous, and focused…might be just the thing for the ADD student.</p>
<p>shawbridge, I recommend you visit Colorado College and ask these questions of professors or students, not just at the tour presentation.</p>
<p>Relatively many Colorado College students major in sciences and math compared to some other LACs (~20-25%, a bit less than at Carleton or Swarthmore but more than at Colgate or Middlebury). My impression is that this is a strong area at CC, especially if you are talking about field-based work in environmental science, biology, or geology, which is where the flexibility of the block plan is a significant advantage. One nice feature is that each class gets its own dedicated room for the duration of the block. So, students can and do continue working there long after the scheduled class is complete.</p>
<p>Not all classes are block classes. You can take lessons continuously in foreign languages and music. There is a human cadaver dissection lab (SC302, Surgical Anatomy) taught as a year-long course. But yes, the majority of instruction takes place in blocks. The schedule can be intense, so do your homework to decide whether the plan is right for you. </p>
<p>My son had two serious illnesses in his first year. He made it through just fine, with good grades. The school is a very supportive environment and has an excellent Disability Services program under Director Jan Edwards.</p>
<p>The early application options at Colorado College include both Early Decision and non-binding Early Action. If you get accepted EA and cost is not an issue, CC becomes your safety school. Not bad.</p>
<p>That’s very good advice and great information, tk21769. ShawD’s interests are human body and within (molecular and genetic, I think) so lab-based work more than field-based work would resonate more at the moment, but that could change. I’ll tell her about the Surgical Anatomy class. </p>
<p>For better (generally) and for worse (when thinking about college tuition), we won’t qualify for financial aid, so that wouldn’t influence our choice. Is merit aid affected by applying EA?</p>