Basically I was just diagnosed with ADD. I applied to several tops schools. My application is excellent (says my GC), but my test scores and grades are definitely the low point (not stellar, but good). I’m a good student, hard worker, but because I struggled a lot with concentration, it interfered with my ability to work to my full potential. I don’t want to come off as if I’m making excuses, I’m not. But basically my question is: is it worth notifying the schools I applied to now, so late in the game?
Furthermore, do you think I should consider appealing any rejections as a result of this new diagnosis?
Colleges will not care at this point; it will not change anything. TONS of kids are diagnosed and medicated for ADD/ADHD nowadays.
No, its not worth telling them until after you decide where you want to go and are applying for disability services. An ADD diagnosis only helps if they have the ability to compare your performance before and after diagnosis, which isn’t possible. It is also not worth appealing, since it won’t affect your decisions.
@Qwerty586 @guineagirl96 Thanks for the replies.
So general consensus is I do nothing? My GC was actually the one who originally recommended I get tested. I think I will try and talk to him asap, but it’s spring break now so he doesn’t answer his emails, and I’ll probably have all my decisions by the time school starts again, so I guess pursuing this is pointless really. Whew run-on sentence.
Just a side-note: I’m not gonna be going down the medication route, sticking to therapy.
I’m not seeking to gain some competitive advantage over other kids through this, it’s just I’ve read frequently that colleges assess you within your context, and ADD is part of my context… and has been for all my life, it just wasn’t on paper.
I agree that telling the admissions staff won’t do any good now. As difficult as this has been for you, it just won’t change a decision. The point was already made, and it’s a good one, that unless you had a before & after diagnosis comparison to make, your plea will fall flat.
You have your answers–I agree with them. You don’t have evidence that you can do better with the diagnosis so there is nothing to report. I think you are right to check with your GC and follow his advice. My good firend was a late add diagnosis and the adderall really helps her focus and stick to the task at hand, and while I don’t know that much about it, I think it could be used to train you to focus.
Hey there. How much does the ADD affect your studies? I am probably ADHD - never been diagnosed and see no need for treatment, but I may have a mild case of it. I doubt that it would make any difference as to the rejections for the reasons other posters gave. I don’t really see why you would need to tell the colleges unless they have special services for ADD that you would like to have. Best of luck with the therapy!
When you said you would not go the medication route, just know that it would be okay to do that. There should be no shame in it. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 39, and medication changed my life.
@oneuponamom @Brownparent @albert69 Thank you all so much for your replies, I was just trying to seek out as many opinions as possible.
I won’t bother contacting any schools, if a they like me, they’ll take me, ADD or not.
@albert69 Long story short: like I said I’ve always struggled with concentration (I have been diagnosed with ADD inattentive type), but I’m naturally quite determined, and I hate disappointing people/teachers/parents, so I’ve been able to cope all these years. But basically this year I became quite dysfunctional, and fell quite behind in school work, had to miss a couple weeks of school. And then I was diagnosed after extensive evaluation.
@oneuponamom I’m still considering my options with my doctor and psychologist, but thank you for your kind words, because that was definitely something that crossed my mind. I’m happy to hear how much it’s helped you!! I may PM you
@albert69 Just wanted to add - a lot of people think they have add/add, when they don’t, but then again, there’s no harm getting an evaluation done if you’re willing to stick it out
@sweetheart9777 I know that, yeah. I don’t really care to get it checked because it doesn’t impact my life enough. I’m fine, but I completely recognize that my method isn’t applicable to everyone.
@albert69, I envy you, I definitely would have kept the “keep on keeping on” attitude if I could.
It’s hardly an attitude, all it means in my life is that I need to move to think. I get up and walk around the house while working on assignments, think something through, then sit back down. I play with the pages of books when I read or randomly highlight text I’m reading on a computer to concentrate. I’m home schooled, which is probably good because I had the freedom to do those things (like moving around) so I could still do fine academically. The best way I know to focus is to exercise. If I get up and go for a run, then I’ll be able to focus and do better work. It’s not a bad thing to have motivation to exercise, lol, though I should listen to the motivation more than I do. But my situation may not be the same as yours.
@albert69, haha, you’d be surprised how much I move around in class, I’m notorious for randomly standing up and walking around - that should have been a glaring sign to my teachers.