Do colleges look down upon IEPs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure they'd know because the transcript is graded classes only right?

I am a college professor and strongly encourage your kid to continue accomodations in college. It will be on them to do the legwork with that office. I see so many young adults think that they no longer need accomodations and it can be a spectacular disaster. Better to have them in place and not use them than to need them and not have them.

I’m the pp with the dyslexic kid with a language waiver. Our HS’s transcripts include required classes that are pass/fail, including health, 9th grade study hall (all 9th graders are assigned a mandatory study hall), and any period enrolled in the academic services center.

DC has academic center (pass) shown on their official transcript in 9th grade (has not needed to be assigned one since then, but all incoming 9th graders who receive accommodations are automatically enrolled for that first year). That along with the lack of any foreign language on the transcript cannot be hidden, so in DC’s case it’s better to briefly and factually disclose the dyslexia diagnosis in the more info section.

Fortunately DC as a very high GPA and isn’t gunning for T10 schools or anything like that, so I don’t think it will be an issue. And honestly, any school that refuses to consider an excellent student who happens to be dyslexic probably wouldn’t be a good fit anyway.

[Anonymous]

They will know because the instructional support block is on the transcript, at least got my child. It was not a problem at the schools he applied to—he was accepted.

I know a fully blind kid at Harvard - disability is not disqualifying if you can do the work. Accommodations at the college level are not necessarily as generous though so you want a school with strong disability support.

[Anonymous]

DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

Colleges generally don't give extra time for assignments either.

Without accommodations, spell check and grammarly may not be available during exams. Other accommodations that a dyslexic students may need that are also available in the work world include note taking software (ie, glean or otter) and audiobooks or other alternative format textbooks. Extra time on exams has no equivalent in most jobs. My autistic child needs a single room, which is irrelevant in the working world (and likely not necessary for dyslexia).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

If there is nothing on the transcript that indicates anything unusual then no, there’s no need to disclose during the application process. That doesn’t prevent your kid from then going to the disability office to register for time and a half (on tests, not assignments), notetaking assistance, etc. It’s two separate things, and the disability office doesn’t care whether you disclosed on your application or not.

If it weren’t for it being obvious from the transcript that *something* was different, my kid wouldn’t disclose either. Because the transcript does make it obvious, it’s best to put some info about it in the application - for DC, at least. Others make the choice that’s best for them.

[Anonymous]

My DC wrote their essay about their dyslexia because it was an important part of who they are. DC had top grades (top 5%) of their class, applied test optional and was successful at Top 20-30 range schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not disclose because it may signal that your child is less likely to be successful, especially at competitive schools. Your high school is not allowed to note that you have an IEP on the transcript so they won’t know unless you tell them.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-qa-20081017

(See question 7)

Once you decide to attend, all schools have accommodations offices that will review documentation and help make an accommodations plan for the student.

This is not good advice

This is really only for students looking at top schools. Schools that are looking for reasons to say no. Needing extra support could be the reason. Once you are accepted, or even when applying, seek out and find what support they offer. But there is no such thing as an IEP in college. Reasonable accommodations, yes.

It's still not good advice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

Workplaces do have to give accommodations. Plus people can self select into jobs with a structure that works for them.

[Anonymous]

It’s interesting that they give accommodations for tests to get into schools. You can get 50% more time for the LSAT for having ADHD. SAT gives extra time too and it’s not displayed on the results. If you scored very high, top grades, I don’t see how having a learning disability would hurt your chances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

Workplaces do have to give accommodations. Plus people can self select into jobs with a structure that works for them.

Accommodations are covered by the ADA and 504.

Specialized instruction which an IEP indicates is not.

[Anonymous]

I have 2 ADHD kids that attend top colleges. Don’t disclose at all during the application process! Once enrolled, you submit all the paperwork and neuropsych reports over the summer and they will grant you all the accommodations you had in high school. Make sure you request an accommodation to record lectures. Some professors won’t allow it without an accommodation. There are all kinds of AI apps out that will create summaries and study guides based on class lecture recordings. Game changer for my ADHD kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

Workplaces do have to give accommodations. Plus people can self select into jobs with a structure that works for them.

Accommodations are covered by the ADA and 504.

Specialized instruction which an IEP indicates is not.

True and irrelevant to the question of whether someone should request accommodations in college, which is what the pp was discussing.

[Anonymous]

2 kids with 504s in MCPS, both didn't disclose on applications, and when admitted (schools ranked in 50s and 60s, one private one public), they contacted the office for disabilities (or something like that) and arranged for accommodations. One also at one point had an acute injury that needed accommodations and was told to contact professors directly (full cast, fingertips to above the elbow of dominant hand). All professors have been accommodating at both schools, and both consistently make Dean's list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is dyslexic and both the school and private counselor said not to disclose. They were applying to top 50 colleges (but not top 20). I also disagree with seeking accommodations in college unless they are absolutely needed. Things like spell check and grammarly are available to everyone. It’s not like the working world is going to give you time and a half on work projects.

Colleges generally don't give extra time for assignments either.

Without accommodations, spell check and grammarly may not be available during exams. Other accommodations that a dyslexic students may need that are also available in the work world include note taking software (ie, glean or otter) and audiobooks or other alternative format textbooks. Extra time on exams has no equivalent in most jobs. My autistic child needs a single room, which is irrelevant in the working world (and likely not necessary for dyslexia).

Prof here. Not true on the extra time for assignments: it's a frequent accommodation but requires maintaining contact with the instructor in order to flex a limited number of deadlines (it doesn't just allow turning everything in at the end of the course). And we don't have spell check ir Grammarly (or similar) as accommodations, either: the accommodation is not grading certain types of writing mechanics if they're not immediately germane to the subject being tested. (For example, spelling in a Shakespeare paper is not as crucial as spelling in a chemical equation, where no allowance for error can reasonably be given if the student's command of the material is to be assessed.)

Ultimately, just ask your school, register with the accommodations office, and plan ahead. Most faculty are able to meet accommodations without any trouble, especially with the advance notice that students are supposed to provide. And accommodations offices tend to be tenacious advocates if a student needs their help.

[Anonymous]

Also a prof, extra time for assignments is a common accommodation.