SLAC strong in science/tech for neurodiverse DD with ADHD?
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Anonymous
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My DD is Asian American at a top private (not in the DC area), and has strong academics but struggles with ADHD/anxiety (her grades take a long time for her to achieve and a lot of effort). She gets extremely stressed out with multiple demands. She has difficulty reading social cues and enjoys a few small, very nerdy clubs. She does not really socialize with friends outside of school - most of her social life is centered around structured activities/clubs in which she participates (but not as a leader or officer). She gets all A's or high B's in non-weighted, mostly regular type classes. Her friends are nice nerd types.
We are looking for colleges that would be a good fit. She seems to be interested in Tech/Science/Psych, but her hobbies are ALL 100% artsy (doodling, composing pop songs, singing in cafes, writing poetry). She does well with creative hobbies, but I don't think she could thrive writing a lot of long papers. Most processes, including the writing process, take her a long time. She has an almost photographic memory for weird facts and does will in trivia competitions. DH and I are professor types; we can afford a private university, but then she is on her own after that. The SLACs in the East or MidWest seem like a good fit, but she would like a school that has multiple STEM offerings that are not uber competitive (i.e, not full of hard core pre-med types). But, she also has mostly Asian friends, and so there needs to be some diversity (not sure about sending her to Maine, for instance), and a diversity of Asian or minority students is good (i.e., not a campus where all the Asian students are international and have tons of $$$, for instance). Bonus points if the school is near a major airport as we live in the South. |
Anonymous
| What is her SAT |
Anonymous
| DD is a sophomore. She got a 1310 on a practice PSAT for the first time (680 verbal and 630 math). |
Anonymous
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Drop the "S" on SLAC if you are looking for STEM offerings that are not super competitive.
Goucher. Wooster. Kalamazoo. Miami U in Ohio. |
Anonymous
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What is a "LAC" then - it's larger than a SLAC but also doesn't have a graduate school?
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Anonymous
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After visiting multiple schools with my STEM ADHD kid, I think a school like RIT would be worth looking at. I have several friends whose kids go there and they love it. They are all STEM kids that are artsy and creative types. It also gives out merit to strong applicants. The main downside is that its campus isn’t a typical college campus (buildings are modern) and that the male:female ratio is 2:1 (similar to several other STEM schools). It’s also cold in Rochester.
I have another neurotypical kid at a SLAC. Those tend to be more humanities focused and a lot of her classes involve a lot of writing. The enrollment is small so harder to find “your people”. |
Anonymous
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I’d look at some of the liberal arts schools in PA like Muhlenberg, Dickinson, etc. They seem to have a nerdy/artsy contingency in the student population. Wooster is a good suggestion. Maybe Oberlin too, though that would probably be more of a reach.
Do you think your student might succeed an an all women’s college? I also wonder if school like Elon might be a good fit. While not a liberal arts college, it is a more medium sized school and seems to have a really supportive environment for students. |
Anonymous
I am the OP. Yes, this is a great description: "looking for STEM offerings that are not super competitive." I think if DD goes to a SLAC, she will end up (1) with an artsy or humanities major and/or (2) hanging out with the 2-3 other alternative Asian-American kids, but will ultimately struggle with the academic load of an artsy major. DD will also qualify for accommodations, as she receives them now. I think if DD goes to a Top 20 school, she may end up alienated from the (1) competitive gunner Asian-Americans who want to go to med school, (2) who are first-generation and STUDY all the time, and/or (3) are very wealthy International students. |
Anonymous
| Would she enjoy a school like Sarah Lawrence, with an open curriculum? She could take a range of classes in STEM, arts, etc. Small liberal arts school just outside NYC. |
Anonymous
| Bryn Mawr. |
Anonymous
| Oberlin |
Anonymous
| Rhodes |
Anonymous
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Hi OP, I have a similar kid (URM, not Asian). Super smart NMSF but struggles with ADD-I, anxiety, etc and leans heavily into his creative hobbies.
We are looking at big schools with honors colleges so he can have some flexibility and choices when it comes to the overall college experience. But we’ve also looked at smaller schools and so far like Case Western, Miami of Ohio and U Tulsa as options. U Arizona and its SALT program are also very appealing for accommodations and support. I hope you find the right fit for her! She sounds amazing! |
Anonymous
"S" is for selective. Drop down from Middlebury to Kalamazoo. Drop from Bowdoin to Wheaton. That kind of thing. |
Anonymous
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YES to RIT.
I'm going to toss out a COMPLETELY different idea: Philly's urban universities, Temple and Drexel. Temple first: Yes, the neighborhood is horrible. But it's a very well respected research university, with great opportunities for internships and professional development. The student body is extremely diverse. There are countless cool clubs and activities, and I think Temple would be comfortable enough for her academically that she would have time to pursue them. Drexel, all that, PLUS less crime in the neighborhood, and a co-op structure that has them working quite a bit. It's intense in its own way, but for kids who find academics stressful, the co-ops kind of break up the academic load. VERY heavily focused on STEM, but with decent social and extracurricular opportunities. I'm probably going to get flamed for this suggestion, but I can see it. |