ADHD Students and Getting Ready for College - Getting Ready for College

Written by Sarah-Jayne Bass

Course Selection and Accommodative Services

Students with ADHD or learning disabilities should consider various college options as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses in planning their high school program. Students seeking admission to collage MUST meet the criteria set by the college.

Successful college students with ADHD or learning disabilities report that high school courses teaching keyboard skills and word processing are especially important. A high school record of achievement folder displaying successful completion of a wide array of courses (science, math, history, literature, foreign language, art, music) is attractive to the college admissions staff. Involvement in school or community sponsored clubs, teams, or performances also enhance a college admission candidate's application.

Accommodative services are essential to the success of most students with ADHD or learning disabilities. Prior to the ITP meeting, at which the services will be listed, students should try out various accommodations which have proven successful to others. These may include:

• listening to a tape recording of written material while reading it
• using extended time to complete exams (usually time and a half)
• using a computer to write exams or papers
• taking the exam in a quiet place without distraction from other students or intrusive noises.

In addition, students with ADHD or learning disabilities may benefit from mini-courses in study skills, assertiveness training, and time management. The importance of listing the accommodative services for each student in the ITP cannot be emphasised strongly enough.

College Application Process

For students with ADHD or learning disabilities to assume responsibility for college application processes, they need to have an accurate idea of what they have to offer colleges. They also need to have an accurate idea of the academic requirements and admission procedures of the colleges or universities in which they are interested. Successful college students with ADHD or learning disabilities advise that the actual college application process should begin as early as possible - in the final year of high school. That is the time to review the documentation of the learning disabilities and work on understanding strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and accommodative services. In addition, the following activities are part of the process and will be discussed in this section.

1. Creating a Short List
2. Admissions Tests and Accommodations
3. Application and Disclosure of ADHD
4. Making a College Choice

a. After the first version of the short list is created, bring disability-related concerns back into the picture. Now work to refine the short list by becoming familiar with the services that are provided to students with ADHD or learning disabilities at each of the colleges including the behaviour policy on the list. Most colleges today have a Disability Support Services Office (which may also be called Special Student Services, or Disability Resource Centre, or a similar name) or a person designated by the college president to coordinate services for students with disabilities. Some schools have comprehensive learning disabilities programs.

b. Personally visit, preferably while classes are in session, so that you can get an impression of campus daily life, or talk by telephone with the staff of the Disability Support Services Office or the learning disabilities program. Campus staff may be able to give only general answers to questions of students who have not yet been admitted and for whom they have not reviewed any documentation. Nevertheless, a student can get a good idea about the nature of the college by asking questions such as:

1. Does this college require standardised college admissions test scores? If so, what is the range of scores for those admitted?
2. For how many students with ADHD or learning disabilities does the campus currently provide services?
3. What types of academic accommodations are typically provided to students with ADHD or learning disabilities on your campus?
4. Will this college provide the specific accommodations that I need?
5. What records or documentation of a learning disability are necessary to arrange academic accommodations for admitted students?
6. How is the confidentiality of applicants' records, as well as those of enrolled students, protected? Where does the college publish Data Protection Act guidelines which I can review?
7. How is information related to the documentation of a learning disability used? By whom?
8. Does the college have someone available who is trained and understands the needs of young people with ADHD or learning disabilities?
9. What academic and personal characteristics have been found important for students with ADHD or learning disabilities to succeed at this college?
10. How many students with ADHD or learning disabilities have graduated in the past five years?
11. What is the tuition? Are there additional fees for learning disabilities related services? When do these need to be applied for?

In addition to talking with college staff, try to arrange a meeting with several college students with ADHD or learning disabilities and talk with them about the services they receive and their experiences on campus. Such a meeting can be requested at the time of scheduling the interview with the college staff.

While you will certainly be interested in the answers to the questions, the impressions that you get during the conversations will be equally important and may serve as a way to make final refinements to the short list.