How to find college choices for smart, quirky ADHD kids who are introverted

[Anonymous]

Your kid sounds very typical. Every school will have lots of kids like him. I would focus on other factors to narrow your list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think any of the top 20 schools would be good. From touring many of them, there are tons of quirky, introverted, smart kids at all of them.

But a terrible place to start the college search, which is where OP is right now.

[Anonymous]

Landmark College in Vermont does an excellent job with ADHD kids. There are weekly meetings with your first year advisor.

[Anonymous]

A Bucknell fraternity would bring him out of his shell and develop his social skills and networking ability. This will benefit him hugely in the long run.

[Anonymous]

My kid who wanted small, tech-inclined schools looked at:
WPI
Rose Hulman
RPI
Clarkson
RIT (more mid size than small)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think any of the top 20 schools would be good. From touring many of them, there are tons of quirky, introverted, smart kids at all of them.

Can you pls name a few?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think any of the top 20 schools would be good. From touring many of them, there are tons of quirky, introverted, smart kids at all of them.

Can you pls name a few?

Bard, Bowdoin, Carleton, Reed, Grinnell, Colby, Hamilton, Bryn Marr, Rice, Bennington, Hobart & William Smith, Northwestern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid who wanted small, tech-inclined schools looked at:
WPI
Rose Hulman
RPI
Clarkson
RIT (more mid size than small)

NP A lot of these are on the list for my high achieving ASD introvert.

[Anonymous]

Miami of Ohio would be my first recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not recommend a state school, and definitely not Penn state.
Swarthmore, Haverford would be good choices

Penn State offers the Schreyer Honors College - very school within a school with the benefits of a large public

[Anonymous]

Connecticut College
Hamilton
Clarkson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some options to consider - my son is also ADD, national merit semifinalist but doesn’t want high pressure and will benefit from supports. We looked at a lot of schools that offer Honors Colleges - gives him a cohort from the start.

Arizona State bigger than VT
U of Arizona bigger than VT
Alabama bigger than Tech
Purdue bigger
Penn State Way bigger than Tech
U of South Florida bigger than Tech
TCU

Op, all but one of these schools are bigger than Tech.The only suggestion here that is helpful (size-wise) is TCU, which is recognized as a top party school.

It would be helpful to know what STEM major your son is considering because a lot of good SLACs and LACs have some good programs.

I have a DD that has a similar social profile. She doesn’t want to go to a party school. I do think at rigorous state schools you can find your people e.g. UVA or Tech. Depending on the major, maybe William and Mary? Case Western, Kenyon, Northeastern, Emory, Tufts, Dickinson, Skidmore could work.

[Anonymous]

I know a kid like this who is very happy at RIT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stevens Institute in NJ comes to mind. I had a classmate go there who had a similar profile to your son, way back in the day. 4000 undergrad, so not too big.


https://www.stevens.edu/

I thought of Stevens, too! It's a great school!

I'd put RIT on your list, too.

FWIW, there are several kids in our social circle who sound like your son. They're doing great at a range of schools, from RIT and RPI to various state schools. There are usually lots of niche clubs in college; if he finds even one thing he likes, he'd probably be happy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A Bucknell fraternity would bring him out of his shell and develop his social skills and networking ability. This will benefit him hugely in the long run.

Yeah, that’s not how these things work. - signed sorority girl from an infamous party school with an awkward, introverted teen who will not be partying in college