<p>I had severe trouble focusing throughout grade school and high school, however high intelligence compensated in grade school and the beginning of high school. I took honors courses, would understand the material and test perfectly, then fail due to incomplete homework assignments and projects. no one did anything about it until the last month of my junior year. now i am a senior, was diagnosed as ADHD-IIIP (Inattentive type) and don't know what to do about college.</p>
<p>My IQ tested in the 140's but my grades don't reflect this at all and I don't know how to get colleges to give me a chance. I am medicated (adderall) and am learning how to deal with the ADD but I'm worried it won't be enough. Does anyone have any advice?</p>
<p>well, there are many colleges that have great support systems for kids with ADD...</p>
<p>what colleges are you looking at?</p>
<p>My daughter had a profile similar to the OP, going into the college application process. I wish I could say that colleges universally took her ADD into consideration, but that was not the case. She applied to 11 schools and was accepted at one reach, one match and one safety and waitlisted at two of the safeties. She was also a National Merit Finalist. Her GPA was OK (3.5) but didn't reflect her true ability. Luckily she did get in to one of her top choices. Her school guidance counselor helped by explaining her situation in the letter from the school and noting her strengths and a upward trend in grades. In looking back on the whole experience I think what made the difference to the one reach school where she was accepted was the quality of the essay she wrote for that particular school. In true ADD fashion the essays she wrote for the two safety schools she was wait listed at weren't her best. I think she felt she was well within their profile for both grades and SATs and the essays wouldn't count much or the standards would be lower for those schools. That was a big mistake, because I'm sure those schools got the message that she didn't really care that much. The two other schools she was accepted to were the State Flagship University which automatically accepts kids within a certain profile and another school which last year only was not requiring essays from National Nerit Finalists. </p>
<p>Looking back on our experience my advice would be to spend extra time and energy idetifying safety schools you would love to attend and can feel passionate enough about to put your full attention into their applications. My daughter missed attending the state uni by a hair. Read Loren Pope's "Colleges that Change Lives" book and see if you find something there that you find really exciting. Treat every application essay with equal attention and energy. In your case, as in my daughter's, they could make you or break you. Try your best to show an upward trend in grades during your remaining time in highschool. Finally ask you counselor to explain your situation in the letter from the school.</p>
<p>The OP is my son! Or, at least could be my son. Is that you John? (His normal nickname is "Computeraddict" so I know it's not -- but Filmgeek could be.)</p>
<p>I've asked several admissions offices how to handle this. Just like the OP, my son does not need remedial help -- with a three-standard-deviation IQ, doing the work is never a problem, but getting the work done is. He thrives on new things and tough challenges. His ability to focus is frightening, and he can focus whenever he is really interested. What he can't do is lash up the same energy when something seems boring. Also, like a lot of ADHD-ID people, he doesn't always hear what people say, and can seem like he is disrespectful (this causes all kinds of fun problems with teachers and other adults). </p>
<p>I don't know if the OP has a totally-cratered GPA (like 1.9 or something), or just not-as-good-as-it-ought-to-be. My son has all the gold-plated credentials a top HS student should have, except his GPA is in the low 3s. So, can we find him a college that respects a 98th percentile+ SAT, perfect 5s on his AP tests, and his National Merit Semifinalist ranking and understands his GPA, or ??? This is why I find places like the Barrett Honors College at ASU so interesting -- it might be a program where his testing-related achievements can get him a home among his intellectual peers, where he might be challenged enough to stay focused. He's also working with a private counselor on ADHD coping mechanisms, and I wish we'd figured this out before his senior year. I think intellect masks ADHD problems early on.</p>
<p>Anyway. I'm clearly rambling. It's just good to hear that my son isn't the only one. </p>
<p>(Actually, his mother and I were both him when we were in school. If I hadn't discovered the beauty of independent study projects in college my GPA would have been at least a half-point lower than it was. Independent study is interesting, and I found that if I did any kind of reasonable job I would get an A. I think professors are flattered by students who want to undertake studying a subject on their own.)</p>
<p>Did you also take the SAT or ACT? High scores will also be a good indicator to schools of your ability and your likelihood at succeeding in school, especially if you have your GC explain the GPA as well. If test scores were low as a result of not having enough time to complete them you could look into retaking with accommodations/extra time. If you are applying to schools that do not require test scores, they would no doubt also look very closely at a letter from your GC in addition to GPA and rigor of classes.</p>
<p>Definitely look very closely at the schools you apply to and at what services and accommodations they can provide to LD students especially if you would like to get accommodations for any of your classes (notetaking, use of tape recorder etc). You might also want to look through the Learning Differences forum for other ideas.</p>
<p>well OP pretty much = me, except ive surpassed the point in which intellect masks the LD and am now failing some tests this year (and a class). :(</p>
<p>i think a medical certificate will help. Thing is.. there are many normal people with Genius IQ but dont do well. You should explain your case to them.. and IQ test scores and SAT can help you... further if you did something special like Quizes/Mensa blah blah thats a HUGE bargaining chip</p>