SAT Accommodations without prior 504

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the input. Dx is ADHD, Inattentive Type. Major processing delay and exec function impairment. As to why he doesn't need accommodations at school - he does. But we missed it all these years. Parenting failure.

But why aren’t you seeking it now? Why not have a 504 meeting and then he can apply as a kid with a 504?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would appreciate info from anyone who has recently gone through SAT/ACT accommodations request. DS has neuropsych results that support request and psychologist is strongly recommending, but does not have 504 or IEP at school. Psychologist says request can be made directly to College Board but I thought kids had already be receiving accommodations school to be granted their request. I think it may be too late to request - DS is already a junior. CB website does say that you don't have to go through your school, and does not say that student needs to have 504. But can this really be done?

Hello-how many years ago
was diagnosis? We were told that you have to have documentation from 8 -9th at latest. I think that is more important than if you actually used the ability to have accommodation. I am not judging because I completely get it. We did finally utilize accommodations in 9th because it was too hard not to have them and honest wish I had been more open earlier but worried about labeling. Hope it works out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the input. Dx is ADHD, Inattentive Type. Major processing delay and exec function impairment. As to why he doesn't need accommodations at school - he does. But we missed it all these years. Parenting failure.

Please don’t feel bad. We were in the same boat. Kid’s teachers usually gave unofficial accommodations that we didn’t know about all the time, so no one saw full extent of the issues.

Eventually, the principal helped by granting extensions during the final semester. Kid was forgetting to turn in finished assignments. Typical ADHD behavior!

Our kid took SAT without extra time and the results didn’t reflect their true ability. It did show they do better in English than math but they can do well in math if they have extra time to think.

I hope you can get what your kid needs, OP. If you can’t, things can still work out.

My kid applied TO and got accepted to a good school. They’ve met others with ADHD (didn’t know many in high school) and I think feel more comfortable with their disability.

I think DH and I have it too…

[Anonymous]

We are in the same boat, but only just received a proper diagnosis, so are at the beginning stages of involving the school. My DD is a junior too. Disheartening to know you are penalized for the timing. The diagnosis is not always an easy one, particularly in girls. I’m kicking myself for not doing the full neuropsych testing sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'll need to explain why you need extra time for the SATs but not for tests at school. You're request will be regarded with skepticism.

Agreed.

A lot of parents try to game the system.

[Anonymous]

A lot of parents do but even more parents avoid the diagnosis because they are stressed out about their child’s future. Real AHDH parents know what I mean. The hours helping sit down to do homework. The losing literally everything. The notes from school. The panic at teachers conferences at what will be said. There is real panic to ge that diagnosis because you feel it is so awful. I wish I had known it would have been a relief. My kid is so much happier and loves school now. You have no idea unless you have been in the trenches.

[Anonymous]

Oh right NOW the child need accommodations-- this is why they are so strict on reviving them for SAT/ACT. It is very common for kids to magically need accommodations their junior year.

TO is real and something that should be taken advantage of for your child. Also colleges will accept neuropsych and may have your child register with the disability office. There aren't really accommodations in the classroom. Maybe some audiobooks and things like that. There are testing accommodations which is 100% up to the student to take advantage of all on their own.

So sure you can say this is all for college but parents who have spent a decade or more crying during IEP meetings, testing their kids, screaming at their kids, crying over grades and concerns IF their child will ever finish high school and/or go to college, working on meds to help their child really are giving you the side eye. The ones who had kids do the college process before TO was a thing are just straight up laughing at you now. Sorry. Truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding when my DD went through thus was that the child needed to have had at least two years of accommodations in order to apply for extra time on the SAT -and even the she was turned down (and she had an IEP for two years!) So she went with the ACT which had given her extra time. But this was several years ago so perhaps times have changed

This was not the case for my kid. Diagnosed in spring 2023, given school accommodations in August 2023 and approved accommodations for December 2023 SAT. So, less than 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding when my DD went through thus was that the child needed to have had at least two years of accommodations in order to apply for extra time on the SAT -and even the she was turned down (and she had an IEP for two years!) So she went with the ACT which had given her extra time. But this was several years ago so perhaps times have changed

This was not the case for my kid. Diagnosed in spring 2023, given school accommodations in August 2023 and approved accommodations for December 2023 SAT. So, less than 2 years.

Forgot to mention, this is for a current high school junior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh right NOW the child need accommodations-- this is why they are so strict on reviving them for SAT/ACT. It is very common for kids to magically need accommodations their junior year.

TO is real and something that should be taken advantage of for your child. Also colleges will accept neuropsych and may have your child register with the disability office. There aren't really accommodations in the classroom. Maybe some audiobooks and things like that. There are testing accommodations which is 100% up to the student to take advantage of all on their own.

So sure you can say this is all for college but parents who have spent a decade or more crying during IEP meetings, testing their kids, screaming at their kids, crying over grades and concerns IF their child will ever finish high school and/or go to college, working on meds to help their child really are giving you the side eye. The ones who had kids do the college process before TO was a thing are just straight up laughing at you now. Sorry. Truth.

How kind of you. Hope it makes you feel better to give side eye and laugh at someone just trying their best after missing the boat when it mattered.
The truth is that we have been struggling with homework, deadlines, time management, follow through, etc for years. A lot of frustration and stress. And we have been wrong about the underlying cause. Raised concerns in the past with teachers, his pediatrician and were made to feel like we were worrying over nothing- he's really smart, gets good grades (with a lot of effort behind the scenes) and is an easy going kid in class. Basically told he likely just needed coaching to get more organized, not a diagnosis. Standardized tests have always been extremely stressful for him and he never does well. Neuropsych results were eye opening. We should have advocated harder a long time ago and we didn't.

[Anonymous]

DS has had, and used, accommodations, including extra time, since middle school and was denied extra time for the PSAT. Our school told us they’re denying everyone unless there are intellectual disabilities. The fact that he has an above-average IQ and decent grades (As, Bs and one C at a well-regarded private) apparently means he’s not disabled enough to qualify.

[Anonymous]

Oh sorry I misunderstood the reason for your post. I thought you were asking about how to get testing accommodations not what accommodations would help your child be successful at school.

Let me go reread that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What grade is he in? Our DD was diagnosed with ADHD after the pandemic. She really struggled with online learning and asked to be tested. We were surprised when she was diagnosed with ADHD. She is at a Big 3 and the doctor told us to consider switching schools. The school turned down our request for accomodation because her grades were "okay". (A-,B+). Technically those grades are good but it did not reflect her potential. You need to get accomodations from the school to qualify for SATs junior year. I gave up and was going to let it slide but my friend pushed me to fight for DD. She said we had to get the accomodations at least one year before the SATs. Thank God for my friend. DD took the ACTs and it's much harder to get extra time,even with accomodation. I had to write multiple times and challenge their decision. It was a months long process. She took the ACTs twice. The first time without accomodation. The second time we got the accomodation the day before the second test! ADHD manifests itself later for girls and is often missed or misdiagnosed. Her problem was that she thinks too fast and skips information. She makes ups words to fill the spots she misses! We had to get her to slow down, take breaks and refocus. So long story short, you need at least a one year history of accomodations before you can get extra time for SAT/ACT. It doesn't have to be a 504 but the school needs a record of it. It's much easier to get accomodations if you start in MS. I was told that extra time matters more for ACT.

“Thank God” is a bit dramatic.

She was not cured of cancer, she was allowed something that improved her SAT score.

You people really need to get college admissions in perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has had, and used, accommodations, including extra time, since middle school and was denied extra time for the PSAT. Our school told us they’re denying everyone unless there are intellectual disabilities. The fact that he has an above-average IQ and decent grades (As, Bs and one C at a well-regarded private) apparently means he’s not disabled enough to qualify.

Kids with intellectual disabilities have the hardest time getting appropriate accommodations, because there is this weird idea that people are entitled to performance levels that match their IQ, which means that when the problem impacts your IQ you are screwed.

I am assuming your well-regarded private doesn't accept students with ID so they are spouting this nonsense while also discriminating.

[Anonymous]

OP,

I don't understand your hesitation to apply for a 504. It won't guarantee accommodations on the SAT/ACT but it will certainly make it more likely.

Yes, it's late, but if you can document that you thought the results were accurate enough to push for accommodations, and that once she has them and she uses them consistently, that will mean something.

But the fact that you don't think these results are significant enough to get help now at school is a sign that you don't think she's actually impacted by the ADHD.