My son was not diagnosed with ADHD until late in his Sophomore year. His GPA has suffered (2.5 average at a highly competitive, private college prep high school). His junior year GPA is 3.1 and PSAT 1180 once he was on meds and receiving accommodations. Waiting for 3/10 SAT scores. I am very concerned that his GPA will disqualify him from being accepted at the colleges he is interested in. He is a junior now and he would LOVE to go to Clemson.
Can anyone tell me if schools will take into account a late diagnosis of ADHD? How do I know if colleges will accept medical evaluations and diagnoses and allow accommodations?
I’m a first time college parent and feeling pretty overwhelmed. All advice/comments appreciated. TIA!
I’m listening in because I have a son in the same situation. We haven’t yet medicated… are still weighing options. He has some mild anxiety and tics that can be exacerbated with ADHD meds. Looking at non stimulating options. Did you see a big difference in your son’s attitude/performance in school?
To answer your question, your GC can address the ADHD in their recommendation, and an increase in GPA will also help. With a diagnosis he should get support at college.
The GC should be able to walk you through all of this, or you aren’t getting what you are paying for at that highly competitive private college prep high school. Truly. The college placement team there should have a whole bunch of indormation and advice for you. Start with them. They know where previous students like your son have been admitted in the past.
The guidance counselor can write a note or can ask the family to write a note to include with the transcript and other info sent by the school.
For accommodations at the college level, you would need an MD letter at minimum, and some schools want a full neuropsych. evaluation (which I think is misguided, since there is really not test for ADHD and the questionnaire is really the best way to diagnose. Overall a psychiatrist is better for diagnosis than a primary care doctor but the PCP can actually use the questionnaire.)
Accommodations at the college level are at a lower standard than high school and cannot pose an undue financial or administrative burden or substantially change the curriculum. Once your kid registers with the Office for Disabiliites after acceptance, the office gives him letters for each professor. The letters may or may not state specific accommodations and the student has to do some communicating and even negotiating with the professor. Often there is a dean or advisor or psychiatrist or therapist- some other person- who ends up helping more than the disabilities office and who can communicate with professors as needed.
I found it helpful to write a letter for the MD to sign documenting the diagnosis and suggested accommodations. The MD’s appreciate this and don’t know that much about accommodations frankly. You can research them online.
There are many test optional schools http://fairtest.org/university/optional if that helps. Some are top schools, and there is a wide range. He should make sure to aim for a school that is a good fit. It is not about getting in so much as about staying in and thriving. Even if he could get into a certain school that is very challenging, does he want to actually go there?
ADHD meds aren’t always a panacea, but they can be very helpful if used properly. Kids obviously abuse them, and they exacerbate some conditions as taverngirl mentioned. (Tavengirl, a good psychiatrist can work with your son on the best approach as you probably know.) For college students it can be challenging to know when to take them too, since scheduling varies from day to day. You don’t want to interfere with sleep. It an also come down to taking them for a paper versus taking them for being able to listen in class.
Some people use an ADHD coach in college with success, but it can be expensive. Coaching can be done online or by phone.
Things can work out fine and there are many ways to do college as well. One of mine went away but is now in a continuing ed degree program taking two classes at a time and living with friends, and working. Work can really provide structure for some. Just be open to whatever happens and have faith it will work out.
–The guidance counselor should definitely make colleges aware of his diagnosis and the timing of when treatment started as part of his/her letter of recommendation.
–That said, having a late diagnosis of ADHD will not get your S into a college that he is not otherwise qualified to attend. I don’t know your HS and how competitive it may be but it looks like his GPA even while being treated is below Clemson’s average.
— I’d encourage you and your S to honestly assess his academic stats (including GPA, standardized tests, course rigor) as well as your financial needs and next year be sure to apply to a wide range of reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable (you will have to run a net price calculator for each school you consider) and that he would be happy to attend. Expand your horizons and recognize that there are many wonderful schools out there where your S can have a great 4 year experience and get where he wants to go in life.
In terms of getting accommodations in college I would suggest you visit the Office of Disability Services at the final group of colleges he is considering. Understand what documentation they would need (perhaps a neuropsych evaluation, HS IEP), see what services are offered and how he would have to access them etc.. Note that at the college level your S would have to be proactive about taking to professors, going to tutoring etc. in order to get services.
–Think about his needs as a student with ADHD will be and what environment he would succeed best in. Consider if he could focus/do well in a large lecture class or might be better off in a school with smaller average class sizes. Do research on schools (books such as Fiske, Princeton Review can be helpful and are often in guidance offices and libraries), ask targeted questions during visits etc. Finding a college that is a good academic, social, and financial fit will be important.
My older son was diagnosed after sophomore year in HS as well. He took adderall his junior year and it helped him a lot. His grades were better and he was more focused. He did lose weight, which in his case, was a positive. He continued to take the medicine his senior year, applied and got into college ED. But by November, he confessed he hated the way the medicine made him feel. We switched him to Vyvanse, which he also hated so he ultimately went off the meds entirely and his grades dipped. We never told the college about the ADD and he didn’t have an IEP or accomodations but we got a letter that said they noticed his grades dipped but they didn’t rescind the offer. He went to college with the medication though he didn’t use it after 1st semester. He muddled through the next 3.5 years without it and graduated with about a 2.5 gpa. His doctor was impressed that he actually got through in 4 years on his own. It was a challenging 4 years, as we were more engaged in keeping him academically on track than we had ever anticpated. I am convinced his saving grace was the size of his school (less than 5000). Had he been at a larger school, I am not sure he would have made it. Clemson is a great school but it’s pretty big and competitive to get into. If he were to get in, you probably need to make sure your son is sold on taking medication otherwise the size of Clemson may overwhelm him. Just something to chew on.
He would need to work super hard to do it. One thing to consider about flagship schools like Clemson…getting into the school is only half the battle. Employable majors can be highly competitive and ADHD can put him at a disadvantage. I have ADHD myself and it was a big struggle for me to maintain a 3.1 in college. I graduated and I managed to get a master’s degree too. I did it at a smaller university where there was flexibility and less academic pressure. I’m doing well in my career so far.
We are also in the same boat so I appreciate this thread. Grades rose to mostly As after medication began in Dec and DS is doing okay with so far. He also has a chronic set of infections he is still fighting that impacted his grades in 8th and 9th. Plus he will probably have a chance to play a sport at D1 level. It is hard to figure this all out as well as how much information to disclose about his medical issues.
I don’t think you need to visit disabilities offices before admission to schools. And be aware that disabilities offices, while the source of certain accommodations like single rooms, basically provides those letters for professors. At the three schools we have direct experience with, the disabilities offices’ real functions is to protect the curriculum from incursions through accommodations, and protect the school from undue burdens.
As I wrote before, much of the real help comes from elsewhere, like deans and other administrative staff, advisors, doctors, counselors, coaches. It can truly be hard to ascertain the real experience at schools for a kid with ADHD.
There are very bright kids who manage to compensate somehow and parents who can afford it, hire a coach- in person, online or by phone. We couldn’t afford that.
My kid, mid-20’s, left college and take one or two classes while working, as I mentioned before. I just want to emphasize that this is working out wonderfully for her. She is happy and she has gotten through almost 3 years now. So stay flexible on the path.
Abuse of meds is a big problem and some kids also sell them. Not saying your kid would. If he does take meds to school make sure they are locked in a box only he can access!!
Take care of the kid first, then college. See if any local CCs in your area allow automatic transfers to Clemson. That would allow him to get used to it and the meds.
I was diagnosed at 35. The meds do make you feel very “scaled down”. It seems like a slower life going by. Not sure I’m describing it well, but it is hard to get used to and easy to just dump the pills. I am old enough to understand that not taking them affects my work dramatically and my family. So i live with it.
A kid may be harder to just “live with it”. So make sure he understands.