We are starting the college search. My 17 yo son Junior with ADHD/Anxiety and significant trouble with executive functioning wants to go away to school. He has no trouble socially. He currently works with an executive functioning/study skills coach and I know he will need similar resources in college. I think a small to medium size school would be better but he he wants a big size school. I’m looking for options like University of Arizona and U. Conn. He wants a “ra ra” school but unless it has the support within the big school I won’t even consider it. Any thoughts or ideas on University of Vermont? University of Miami? Any others to put on the list. I want to start broad. Thanks for input
I can’t provide any input to your question, but just as FYI, one of mine has the exact same profile. Took a different (and longer) path for undergrad and is now in grad school doing incredibly well. There was a time in middle and high school when we hoped that a HS diploma would happen. Now it’s a masters and possibly doctorate. Just wanted to mention our anecdotal bit because there were many times that I lost sleep over how our kid would get through!
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My ADD/anxiety guy discovered the U of Arizona didn’t work for him; he transferred to a school with enrollment of about 7K and thrived. Maybe there are some smaller rah-rah schools (Wake Forest? Boston College?) that might interest him.
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May I ask why the Univ of Arizona did not work. I would love and prefer a school like Wake or BC but he is stuck on the big school experience. He has been in small private schools his entire educational experience so he wants a more anonymous experience. Doesn’t make sense to me and I’m hoping as we go through the process he can see the benefit of a small/medium sized school. But knowing him he won’t deviate so trying to find something that would work. However, even the smaller schools might not offer the academic support I would like to see available. At this point open to all sizes with great support.
Thanks. I hope we get there someday.
May I ask why the Univ of Arizona did not work. I would love and prefer a school like Wake or BC but he is stuck on the big school experience. He has been in small private schools his entire educational experience so he wants a more anonymous experience. Doesn’t make sense to me and I’m hoping as we go through the process he can see the benefit of a small/medium sized school. But knowing him he won’t deviate so trying to find something that would work. I just learned about SALT program and would like to find others like it so that he can look at various schools and programs.
RIT has great support though I wouldn’t call it a big rah rah school. That and UConn are the ones we heard about most often.
The problem at Arizona was that SALT program support was limited and regular counseling services were difficult to obtain (waitlists for appointments, etc). In the end, he took a medical leave and never returned. At the school he transferred to, student support services, disability services, and general counseling was far easier to access. Having drop-in help and/or readily available appointments when needed made a big difference,
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Schools with good ASD programs often have a system in place to support ADD/anxiety as well; some of the “rah-rah” schools that come to mind with good support programs/ADA offices: Alabama, Syracuse, Clemson, Marshall, Mizzou, WVU, App State. LLC’s can help make a large school feel smaller, which could help with anxiety.
I thought about the SALT program at U of Arizona immediately - I was sorry to hear that the expereince of @oneofthosemoms son was not as hoped.
This book might be a good resource https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Colleges-Students-Learning-Differences/dp/0525567895/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PGNGULQ9OXEM&dchild=1&keywords=k+%26+w+guide+to+colleges+for+students+with+learning+disabilities&qid=1599063535&sprefix=college+learning+disabili%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1
Here’s another to add to your list - Auburn. Big, rah-rah, and supposed to have good ADHD support.
Interesting to hear and this is the kind of information that I’d like to get. What school did your son end up going to? Have you heard of others having the same problem with SALT.
Yes, got it on the list.
Thanks. Book already ordered.
My son attended Eastern Universtiy in Pa. as undergraduate, their “College Success Program” was great. It was all encompassing and the school is a small caring environment. He then attended grad school at the larger West Chester University, Pa. whose DCap program assist in all areas of managing autism on a big campus.
I cannot say enough about either school. Good luck with your search, more and more schools and employers are realzing our different thinkers are a true assest.
OP- it’s worth some time with your son helping him understand size and scope and what that means to an undergraduate. If a university has a law school, med school, forestry school, vet school-- all grad programs, many of which are not even on the same campus- that makes the place look really big- when in fact, the “on campus” population that will be part of his experience might be the same as a mid size college. You can spend four years as an undergrad and never once be in the same place as a medical student (they’re not going to football games!).
Help him focus on undergrad enrollment as a first cut.
Second- help him identify how much support he is getting right now. Not just formal support- how much scaffolding is the family providing? All that goes away once he’s living in a dorm. No roommate is going to toss him out of bed so he doesn’t miss his bio lab. No RA is going to keep him on task with his calendar, assignments, etc. So he’s got to come to terms with how much assistance he’s going to need to be “his best self” once he gets to college. Like many kids- he may be minimizing how much these informal supports have been critical to his success.
Where do you live and what is instate for you?
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University of Vermont. Also, look at matriculation lists of secondary schools that support students with ADHD such as Forman, Proctor, Brewster, Eagle Hill, etc for some ideas.
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Hi,
I was searching for good schools for kids with ADHD and saw your response. You said your son found a great smaller school. I was wondering if you would tell me the name of the school to which he transferred. Thanks!
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