New Forum: Learning Differences and Challenges - LD, ADHD

Parents Forum Learning Differences and Challenges - LD, ADHD
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<p>Welcome to the new CC forum dealing with Learning Differences and Challenges. It's intended to be a place to discuss the specific issues faced by students diagnosed as LD, ADHD, etc., particularly during the college preparation, college search, and college admissions process.</p>

<p>We've had some great discussions on these topics over the years, but they have been scattered across CC in a variety of forums. Now, we'll have a home for discussion of these important topics so they'll be easy to find for both old and new members.</p>

<p>We couldn't cram every possibility into the title of the forum, but this forum is also intended for students who may have physical challenges or learning issues other than those listed.</p>

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<p>This forum must be for Lezmizzie...who is madd funny:). random, but funny.</p>

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<p>I like that we have this now. I know many people who could benefit from the information that will likely be on here.</p>

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<p>Yay, now people can offer their insights and experiences. Thanks!</p>

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<p>They are just as a much as a challenge as learning disabilities are. I hope we all can learn new insights from others.</p>

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<p>hey thats me!! my randomness isnt from my disorder though i caught it from my best friend i was never random till i met her 5 yrs ago(and going on 6 in september!) I spent more hours at her house then my own till i moved this past January. I used to live around the block from her and was very random sometimes she would just point to a wall and say "jello" or something that it wasnt and say it really random and do other random stuff and ive become random and im just a 3rd daughter to them.</p>

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<p>and dont diss the randomness...IM random I dont like being random I LOVE BEing random!</p>

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<p>okwjoe, note the first post: "this forum is also intended for students who may have physical challenges or learning issues other than those listed."</p>

<p>:)</p>

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<p>To Roger and all the other Moderators. Thank you for being so responsive. I think it is great to have this information in one place. I think this will be an incredible learning experience for all.</p>

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<p>Anybody ever apply to either the Reading for the Blind & Dyslexic RBF&D Learning Through Listening Scholarship, or the Disability Playwright Discovery Award? Does anyone know of other LD scholarships?</p>

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<p>kurzweil does one.</p>

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<p>Do I disclose my ADHD during the application process? I've got two Bachelor's degrees, one pre-ADHD treatment with a bad GPA, the other post-ADHD treatment with a 3.706 GPA. I'm sure I'll have to explain the reason for the differences, but I don't want to jeopardize my chances of being accepted. I really want to go to Grad school, I just want to make sure that I handle the application process properly in reference to the ADHD.</p>

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<p>For undergrads, it has been suggested that the guidance counselor bring up ADHD issues, with an explanation and an argument about how well the child is doing. I don't know how that might relate to grad school, though.</p>

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<p>Thank you for starting this forum!</p>

<p>I'm wondering, besides the schools with structured programs, what colleges and universities seem to understand and provide good support for students with ADHD? Especially those who struggle with time management and study skills.</p>

<p>It is easy to find the structured programs.
But the quality of service varies greatly at the other schools identified by the K & Y Guide and Peterson's Guides. You almost have to have personal knowledge of the college services to identify the good ones. I'm hoping the combined experiences of this community can help.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much, Roger!!! This is wonderful!!!</p>

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<p>its K & W first of all...but yah i just got it recentely but my rooms a mess i currently cannot find it!! but this shows private school is the way to go if u can afford it and u have adhd: I went up a full 12 points on my overall average from last yr to this yr(public school to Private schooL)</p>

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<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>First off... luv this topic!!! this really can be a great resource for learning challenged students. Great idea!!!! :-D</p>

<p>Anyway.... there i go w/ my ADD lol... My name is alyssa & i have learning disabilities. If you look at many of my old posts... i go into my disorder in more detail, but the condensed version of my disabilities is that I was diagnosed as having ADD/ LD since about third grade. My learning issues was in 4th grade when I still couldn't read. Flash forward to high school, I was a changed person. I was re-diagnosed as having speech and language impairment and as having ADD. I have an IEP and get special services such as meeting with a special services coordinator and I get extra time on tests, use of a computer on tests, and I have the option of taking tests in an alternative location.</p>

<p>Through the support of my parents, teachers, tutors, special needs teachers and friends I managed to get to a point whereas I became the brightest student in the class. I took the SATs got a 1240 (600v 640m)... and snr year I took euro AP (got a 4 btw) and another college level course. </p>

<p>When it came time for me to apply for college for the class of '09 (i graduated last year) I found myself in a dilemma. Do i say that I have a disability? how will this effect my application status? do i even want college admission reps to know? I mean i have a 1240 SAT score and a B+ average which is no different then my peers w/o learning issues, some would even go as far to say that my intellect surpasses many of my peers.</p>

<p>In the end i decided to share my story through one of the shorter essays on a section of the common application. In the end I believe that it really didn't have a bearing on my status. I mean w/ a 1240 and a B+ i wasn't going to get into Harvard, so obviously throwing in the fact that i have learning issues wasn't going to make a difference.</p>

<p>In the end i think it is up to the individual to make a decision if they want to say anything. One of the school Quinnipiac University, located in ct, i didn't mention the fact that I have a learning disability (and i didn't apply to this school using the common app, so they had no idea i had learning disabilities) yet i decided to mention the fact that i have a learning disability during my SUNY Binghamton interview, because it just happened to come up (btw i was accept to Binghamton as well)</p>

<p>A serious issue that students with learning disabilities have to consider is the fact of whether they want special services in college. If they don't mention anything and they don't advocate for themselves, then these types of people aren't going to get t he services and accommodations that they want/ need.</p>

<p>I would recommend that a person w/ special needs at least checks out the program that their school offers. For instance m y school, American University offers an AMAZING special needs program, such as tutoring programs, workshops, time management building seminars, one- on -one counseling, organizational tips, etc. </p>

<p>Even though the special needs program at American University are so great, I have chosen not to partake in these programs. I decided to till use the testing accommodations, but i have decided t o try things out on my own... sink or swim. Well the first semester i ended with a 2.9 gpa... b ut then i decided to give myself another shot and i made dean's list :-D who would have thought... that a little girl who couldn't read in 4th grade would make the Dean's list?</p>

<p>Anyway srry back to more advise stuff. When you are applying to colleges, visiting is very important, and with schools that the learning disabled student is interested in, make sure you make an appointment with the academic support center. That way the student knows and understand what services are available and what the student is entitled to. </p>

<p>I would also pick up the Princeton's guide book to schools for students with disabilities.</p>

<p>I'm not going to lie. Going away to college was a very hard and scary thing for me to manage and cope with especially because i no longer had my parents reminding me to take my meds or helping me keep ontop of things and stay organized. But as long as that disabled student has outlets that he/ she can reach out to for help, then there’s no stopping them from becoming accomplished college students.</p>

<p>If anyone has any questions feel free to PM me... i am always open for questions</p>

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<p>Having helped some people with learning disabilities apply to college and succeed at college I've learned a couple of things I'd like to share. Please offer any thoughts, comments, about this.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Few if any four year colleges offer assessments for LD or other disabilities!! They will expect that you arrive with a proper assessement including recommendations for accomodation. </p></li>
<li><p>It is not good enough to have been receiving accomodations at High School. What HS use for their purposes is quite variable and rarely what four year colleges are looking for. Be careful if you think you have documentation from the HS! What has worked for getting extra time or other accom. (e.g. on the SAT) is not enough for most colleges. I've seen HS documentation based merely on grades and achievement test scores. Or even the subjective views of teachers and counselors. This is not going to work at a four year college. Finally, HS are not reliable in acknowledging disabilities, let alone providing accomodations for them. Public HS are dealing with the impossible requirement of "providing a good educating for every student" and that means if they identify a disability they are expected to pay for appropriate education. They are not given anywhere near enough money to do this (it's another example of federal mandates without federal money, like No Child Left Behind). The sad result is that schools can "look the other way" to avoid being responsible for dealing with a problem. They may do inadequate testing. For example, a very intelligent student who should be doing much better (as suggested by an ability test such as the Wechler intelligence scales) will only be given an achievement test (such as the Woodcock Johnson). That way, even with a low average result on grades and on the achievement test, the school will be able to say that they are "doing fine" (as if you had to have failing grades to have a disability). </p></li>
<li><p>Private HS do not usually do testing at all, and are much like colleges in their requirements for documentation.</p></li>
<li><p>To get proper documentation of a LD can cost alot of money. Private assessment can cost up to several thousand dollars. That is alot. But it may be unavoidable, sinec you may not be able to get your High School to do the right testing and report write up for you. </p></li>
<li><p>Go to websites of the colleges you are considering and/or applying to and look up their office of students with disabilities. They will spell out the requirements and services.</p></li>
<li><p>Unlike four year colleges, some community colleges do carry out assessments. They are also often better in providing accomodations. Students with significant disabilities who have not received the help they need at HS (resulting in low grades and low self esteem) should consider going to a community college and then transferring to a four year college. This is because a. they will be properly assessed and b. they will have a chance to learn how to study and succeed at college with accomodations. The California higher education system does a very good job of this. Transfers from CA community colleges have a 50% or better chance to get into all the UC except Berkeley and UCLA (and even for those two they have a better chance than regular applicants).</p></li>
<li><p>The most elite colleges are not necessarily the most generous or experienced in helping students with disabilities. It is going to take more work to choose colleges for a student with a disability.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

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<p>silvergoblin: "Do I disclose my ADHD during the application process? I've got two Bachelor's degrees, one pre-ADHD treatment with a bad GPA, the other post-ADHD treatment with a 3.706 GPA. I'm sure I'll have to explain the reason for the differences, but I don't want to jeopardize my chances of being accepted. I really want to go to Grad school, I just want to make sure that I handle the application process properly in reference to the ADHD."</p>

<p>Alright, first of all: What are your two Bachelor Degrees in? Secondly, I really do not think that it is the utmost swellest idea to just think for now and forever that your differences in G.P.A's solely rest with your ADHD and nothing more. Such a thing I am inferring from your post and nothing more.</p>

<p>It is my opinion, and solely my opinion, that you should really evaluate what it was exactly that caused those two differences in your G.P.A; because when you apply for grad school they will be looking at the fact that you finished two Bachelor Degrees. It would be different if you went to University for a while, did some soul searching, got diagnosed with ADHD, and then had a sudden jump in your G.P.A. when you went back to finish the one Bachelor Degree you started- do you see what I mean?</p>

<p>Ideally, depending on what you are studying, you might desire to allude to your ADHD- but do not use it as an excuse nor as the entire theme of your addmissions essay. Trust me, no one in an admissions office wants to read over anything that is laden with excuses, they want to read something good about how you have tried to do your best and kept on trucking!</p>

<p>Good luck to you. And, please remember that I am trying to help you out with some real world advise (and am not trying to be mean, just truthful) and that I wish you all the luck in the world.</p>

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<p>I have an LD daughter who is transferring to USC this fall as a sophomore.</p>

<p>When she was a HS senior, she applied to ten schools and disclosed her LD in her essays. She got rejected in all three of her reaches (including USC her top choice), three of her four matches, and two of her four safeties. Her HS sends many grads to the Ivies and top thirty schools so needless to say she was disappointed and downhearted. She decided reluctantly to go to her only match which was in a remote and frigid part of upstate NY (she prefers the warmer climate here in CA where we live).</p>

<p>Early this year she applied for a transfer to USC and another university with the same selectivity and reputation without disclosing her LD. She got accepted in both. Her fall GPA of 3.5 was essentially the same she had in her HS senior year, although her first and second year HS grades pulled her cum GPA to 3.1.</p>

<p>I can only say based on her experience that I would advise LD students not to disclose their handicaps in their college applications.</p>