Should I disclose in my UC Application I am diagnosed with ADHD? I was just diagnosed and feel I have a better handle on this situation my senior year, then I did previously. I got a 1480 on the SAT, but have an academic 3.7 weighted GPA, 3.055 unweighted. I have been told there may be some skepticism with ADHD since there are kids who pretending to have ADHD so they can obtain a waiver to add on time for the SAT/ACT. Thank you for your advice.
Disclosure of disability is ill advised, espescially when a new diagnosis. It sounds like you could be seeking a but for explanation for poor grades, test performance, behavior, etc. How could you ever prove what grades, for example, you might have received if you did not have ADD. There may indeed be a negative impact but you cant alter grades in your transcripts to what could have really obtained.
A very practical concern is admissions counselors include everything you send in the admission decision. Legally admissions persons may not include disability in the decision except your disclosure waives your protection from discrimination on the basis of disability.
Disclosure does not help in admissions. However, it will with time provide insight into how you learn and behave. Thzt is the best benefit kf a new diagnosis.