Disclosing Accommodations When Applying

[Anonymous]

We disclosed. If it is obvious from other parts of the application, it's better to disclose. Also if there is a weak part of the application, better to explain yourself than leave the AO wondering and assuming the worst. It just came up briefly in one supplemental essay, not the focus at all. We used the additional application section. Got excellent results. Kept it brief.

[Anonymous]

sorry, meant additional info section

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to claim a disability to explain why you got a B+ in math just puts a bad taste in my mouth, and likely others as well.

Why? My kid had Bs in foreign lang due to disability and As in other subjects. He disclosed. It worked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a kid with an assortment of learning/other disabilities we thought about this a lot.

What I have consistently heard is if it is going to be self-evident in your materials (eg you had a resource class) there is no reason not to disclose if it might explain something further.

Our DD did not write about her main disabilities in her essay, but she did write about something that is quirky about her that is probably related to one of her other disabilities (she has a limited ability to feel hot and cold) and how it has influenced her approach to the world. It allowed her to write something unique, compelling, and personal that showed growth and self-reflection, without veering too far into territory she didn’t want to overly dwell on.

She used the additional information section to tackle academic “stuff” that was weird. Like she had concluded her study of foreign language after sophomore year due to a hearing disability because the school did not offer a non-auditory language option. She was applying to some schools where they would have expected her to take foreign language each year of HS.

I think our opinion has consistently been that if the school doesn’t want a kid like our DD (eg a kid with a hearing disability that prohibits her study of spoken foreign language) that is clearly not the right school for her. At that point there is nothing to lose on being transparent within reason.

This is what my DS did as well!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS with dyslexia is not interested in disclosing it in his application. He may contact the disabilities office at whatever university he attends if he thinks he needs their support, whatever their support is. I’m leaving it up to him. He was officially diagnosed when he was 6 with dyslexia but unofficially identified as dyslexic before that so he’s going to taking the reins now.

This is one of the most avoidable mistakes college students made. Dyslexics who go to college and try to wing it without supports don’t do well. Save them the semester of figuring that out on their own (and starting college with a lower gpa or even a failed class) and make sure they at least register for extra time. It’s so easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS with dyslexia is not interested in disclosing it in his application. He may contact the disabilities office at whatever university he attends if he thinks he needs their support, whatever their support is. I’m leaving it up to him. He was officially diagnosed when he was 6 with dyslexia but unofficially identified as dyslexic before that so he’s going to taking the reins now.

This is one of the most avoidable mistakes college students made. Dyslexics who go to college and try to wing it without supports don’t do well. Save them the semester of figuring that out on their own (and starting college with a lower gpa or even a failed class) and make sure they at least register for extra time. It’s so easy.

I’m the PP and I agree. That’s a separate question than disclosing when applying. He’ll apply and later consider discussing accommodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has speech apraxia in addition to AuDHD and did not take any foreign language. He is a NMF and used the additional info part of the common app to explain his lack of FL, his focus on cultural learning classes such as film study, and lived experience as a multiracial person in an ethnically diverse area.

He also wrote several short essays for school specific questions that disclosed his experiences as a neuro-divergent person and how that shaped and influenced his perspectives on empathy, diversity, and justice.

He was accepted to several great schools including Case Western, Purdue Honors, Penn State Honors, VT, GMU, JMU, South Carolina, Tulsa, TCU, etc. Many of the private/OOS offered substantial merit awards.

Similar — DC (current junior) is severely dyslexic and has a foreign language waiver. Will use the additional info section to disclose and explain, since the transcript makes it obvious there is something going on. Also encouraging counselor and teachers to address it in rec letters as appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS with dyslexia is not interested in disclosing it in his application. He may contact the disabilities office at whatever university he attends if he thinks he needs their support, whatever their support is. I’m leaving it up to him. He was officially diagnosed when he was 6 with dyslexia but unofficially identified as dyslexic before that so he’s going to taking the reins now.

Yes, we let out DC decide whether to disclose their disabilities. DC was adamant that they were more than their disability and hated the idea of disclosing private health information to AOs. DC opted not to disclose.

[Anonymous]

General expert opinion from my research is that there’s no reason to disclose if the rest of the application doesn’t have anything that needs an explanation, but if there *is* something (particularly low grades in one subject, or in the year before the diagnosis, or a subject waiver, etc), then it’s useful to briefly and succinctly disclose in the more info section to explain the situation. Just like you might for a major health or family situation that impacted grades for a semester or a year, for example.

OP, your kid’s grades sound solid enough, and there are plenty of students that only get to pre-calculus. I don’t think they have to disclose if they don’t want to; it doesn’t seem to me like an explanation is required. That said, they could still disclose if they do prefer to. But I don’t think your situation necessitates it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS with dyslexia is not interested in disclosing it in his application. He may contact the disabilities office at whatever university he attends if he thinks he needs their support, whatever their support is. I’m leaving it up to him. He was officially diagnosed when he was 6 with dyslexia but unofficially identified as dyslexic before that so he’s going to taking the reins now.

This is one of the most avoidable mistakes college students made. Dyslexics who go to college and try to wing it without supports don’t do well. Save them the semester of figuring that out on their own (and starting college with a lower gpa or even a failed class) and make sure they at least register for extra time. It’s so easy.

Not disclosing in the application doesn't mean that they won't seek accommodations after being admitted.

[Anonymous]

DD disclosed in GMU application and got in. However, the public high school counselor said the college would know because of some of the courses taken - basic team-taught courses - that were on her transcript. So talk to your counselor first.

[Anonymous]

I think it really depends on the disability/accommodation.

Regardless of what people will say to your face most learning disabilities are viewed with some skepticism. It isn’t that they aren’t “real,” but a huge percentage of applicants to selective schools now have at least one diagnosed learning disability and most of those admitted still have the grades, test scores, extracurriculars, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD disclosed in GMU application and got in. However, the public high school counselor said the college would know because of some of the courses taken - basic team-taught courses - that were on her transcript. So talk to your counselor first.

If they are team taught classes, doesn't that mean that nondisabled students also took the class? How would such a class show a disability?

[Anonymous]

My HS DS has nothing on his transcript that would indicate dyslexia and he’s not going to include anything about it in his applications. He did try a foreign language and didn’t do well. He re-took it over the summer, did well and then switched to ASL. That alone doesn’t indicate dyslexia.

He may talk to the appropriate office of whatever college he attends about it and get their thoughts.

[Anonymous]

No, do not disclose. But make the school’s disability office a part of the final decision among acceptances.