I was wondering if anyone has had experience with Boston University’s office of learning disability and the accommodations they might offer for a student with ADHD and executive function deficits? Are they known to be easy to deal with or does the office act more like a gatekeeper when it comes to accommodations?
My daughter is a freshman. We knew she had challenges, but had not been tested. The Disabilities office has Bern excellent. At orientation they spent an hour and a half with us listening to the challenges, explaining the types of testing needed to diagnose for accommodations. She was diagnosed with significant reading disability, ADHD, and executive functioning issues. We gave them the test results ahead of time. They offered note taking support,extra time on tests, distracted testing environments,software that reads text aloud, a counselor who helps coordinate services and met regularly with my daughter to help her work through the transition into school academically, socially and general life The professors have to accommodate as issued by disabilities. It has been a great resource for my daughter at many levels and she is thriving.
Thank you so much for sharing your daughter’s experience, really good to know how helpful the disabilities office has been for her and what accommodations they were able to give her. My child has decided to attend BU and we will start the process with the office as soon as possible. Thank you again, very much appreciate it.
@Bostonmadre @llanp Question. My younger sister is a junior in HS. She is diagnosed with ADHD, Dyslexia, and the math version of dyslexia that I can’t remember the name of. She is a very smart girl and everything but has problems with testing (i.e. SAT) and has had challenges in HS academically (has still managed to do well). Just wondering if your children went through the same standard of admission to attend Boston University. Or do they have a separate applicant pool/did they talk about this in their application when applying. Is there a specific learning disability program that your kids applied separately to? I’m starting at BU this fall. Thanks!
I am wondering too if there is a separate applicant pool for students with learning disabilities.
Not a separate applicant pool, just make sure you mention it on your app if it helps explain some poor grades, extenuating circumstance, etc. (or even talk about it in your essay, if its shaped you as a person, if it has taught you something really valuable, etc.) Having poor grades due to a learning disability will not keep you out (I know people who had this is in their app, they got in just fine) as long as you have the other stuff (like EC’s). There are actual a lot of people that benefit from their services, I noticed. Just when you are accepted, you contact the office of disability services and send in paperwork/other materials about your disability and they work with you to give you proper accommodations. I have quite a few friends with dyslexia, and they are provided with extra time on exams, noted ahead of time, etc. They find it really helpful. FYI-I have no personal experience with their services, this is info coming from friends who have the experiences.
Also, you can contact the office yourself as a prospective student with any questions or concerns:
http://www.bu.edu/disability/contact-us/