The rise of ADHD on elite campuses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid, a TJ graduate who attends an elite college without any test prep or college counseling, was diagnosed with ADHD in college. Their high IQ masked their executive function deficits all along. They never need extra time for any tests, in fact, they think so fast that they always finish tests earlier than others. They struggled with big projects or paper that need planning and execution over several weeks or months. ADHD meds helped tremendously. It’s such a relief to get diagnosed now that they understand why they are different from other students.

This is my kid exactly. Diagnosed with ADHD in high school and a stimulant changed their life. Without meds they FLY through tests. Medication with a stimulant SLOWS THEIR BRAIN DOWN. This is a hallmark of actually having ADHD brain chemistry. A stimulant slows you down. My kid will tell you "my medication allows me to actually think. Without it my brain is just flipping through things at lightening speed. With it I can finally focus"

My kid also never had or asked for extra time (although of course the psychologist offered to recommend it in their write-up) My kid needed to fill the time they had. It's always bothered me that so many kids with ADHD are given extra time because if they truly have ADHD they shouldn't need it.

Wrong. That is only one type of ADHD. I have inattentive ADHD and stimulants don’t have any effect on me. My problem isn’t that my brain works too fast or too slow— it’s that it can’t focus so I keep forgetting what I’m doing and start thinking about something else. If you have this kind of ADHD extra time is critical.

+1. Having inattentive ADHD is like trying to take an exam while watching TikTok at the same time. Stimulants don’t help this situation at all.

DP. So do you think that the slew of high school diagnoses comes from the fact that kids are literally trying to do hours of homework while watching TikTok? It feels like everyone has ADHD all of a sudden because the internet presents way too many distractions. Of course we can’t focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid, a TJ graduate who attends an elite college without any test prep or college counseling, was diagnosed with ADHD in college. Their high IQ masked their executive function deficits all along. They never need extra time for any tests, in fact, they think so fast that they always finish tests earlier than others. They struggled with big projects or paper that need planning and execution over several weeks or months. ADHD meds helped tremendously. It’s such a relief to get diagnosed now that they understand why they are different from other students.

This is my kid exactly. Diagnosed with ADHD in high school and a stimulant changed their life. Without meds they FLY through tests. Medication with a stimulant SLOWS THEIR BRAIN DOWN. This is a hallmark of actually having ADHD brain chemistry. A stimulant slows you down. My kid will tell you "my medication allows me to actually think. Without it my brain is just flipping through things at lightening speed. With it I can finally focus"

My kid also never had or asked for extra time (although of course the psychologist offered to recommend it in their write-up) My kid needed to fill the time they had. It's always bothered me that so many kids with ADHD are given extra time because if they truly have ADHD they shouldn't need it.

Wrong. That is only one type of ADHD. I have inattentive ADHD and stimulants don’t have any effect on me. My problem isn’t that my brain works too fast or too slow— it’s that it can’t focus so I keep forgetting what I’m doing and start thinking about something else. If you have this kind of ADHD extra time is critical.

It’s not inattentive vs hyperactive that’s the difference, though. My two inattentive teens also don’t need time accommodations because they fly through tests. Folding and putting away their laundry on the other hand is literally an all day process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I seem to recall some months ago a poster linked an Atlantic Monthly article about the gaming of ADHD diagnoses in wealthy school districts and elite colleges. Apparently, 20% of kids at Harvard and Brown, 30+% at Amherst, and nearly 40% at Stanford have such diagnoses and accommodations. These diagnoses have become particularly popular at the end of high school when students confront high-stakes ACT, SAT and AP testing. A typical ADHD accommodation for the SAT yields 50% more test-taking time and a score boost of potentially 200 points. The rise of such diagnoses and requests for accommodation has risen much faster in wealthy districts compared to poor ones.

Fast forward to this year’s holiday break and my student, who attends an elite college, tells me that they might have ADHD. They are preparing for a major research project and are nervous. Two close college friends “have ADHD” and scored a 35 and 36 on their ACT. My kid scored a 1560 on their SAT without a diagnoses or accommodation. The friends say my kid should get a ADHD diagnosis and meds.

My kid does not have ADHD. What they have is anxiety that needs to be addressed by learning new skills to do new things. I’m highly disappointed that the peer group’s solution is to reach for a drug and an accommodation, a cope they learned from their parents.

Yes, I know I’m going to get blasted for this because for some kids ADHD is a real thing, but the trends, the timing, the socioeconomics, and the goals of many seeking ADHD diagnoses is nothing but a performance enhancer and a life crutch.

I can’t believe what achievement and performance has come to and it’s increasingly difficult to understand the value of prestige labels without a lot of caveats. Cheat ADHD diagnoses fundamentally change the college evaluation environment and devalue the ethics and integrity of genuine achievement.

It is one thing to take a drug to return to baseline health and another to avoid real life challenges and artificially enhance performance. We all rightfully decry performance enhancing drugs in sports and we should do the same in academics.

Selling Adderall to wealthy kids at top schools is big business. It’s a great side hustle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of pisses me off about all the parents who claim their kid has severe ADHD and got all As and a 1600 SAT and admission to an elite school where they are doing great! … is that they pick and choose how disabled their kid is. There’s no way they are going to call their kid disabled when it doesn’t advantage them. The second they perceive a disadvantage they will assert that their kid actually needs no supports. And of course they won’t tolerate my actually autistic kid’s quirks if they are in any way inconvenient or even just different.

This. And their kids will internalize the same attitudes and become the sort of adults who selectively have ADHD when they want special treatment but if their behavior causes issues in their relationships, they will accuse friends, coworkers, and spouses of being ablist and unfair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I 100% believe that ADHD was under diagnosed in the past and that many high-achieving people have it. The ability to hyper focus on school/career is a super power.

Then why would people need accommodations? Why would the school even need to know they have a DISorder at all?

For kids with inattentive.
For kids who don’t hyper focus on school.

Not every ADHD kid is the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid, a TJ graduate who attends an elite college without any test prep or college counseling, was diagnosed with ADHD in college. Their high IQ masked their executive function deficits all along. They never need extra time for any tests, in fact, they think so fast that they always finish tests earlier than others. They struggled with big projects or paper that need planning and execution over several weeks or months. ADHD meds helped tremendously. It’s such a relief to get diagnosed now that they understand why they are different from other students.

This is my kid exactly. Diagnosed with ADHD in high school and a stimulant changed their life. Without meds they FLY through tests. Medication with a stimulant SLOWS THEIR BRAIN DOWN. This is a hallmark of actually having ADHD brain chemistry. A stimulant slows you down. My kid will tell you "my medication allows me to actually think. Without it my brain is just flipping through things at lightening speed. With it I can finally focus"

My kid also never had or asked for extra time (although of course the psychologist offered to recommend it in their write-up) My kid needed to fill the time they had. It's always bothered me that so many kids with ADHD are given extra time because if they truly have ADHD they shouldn't need it.

Wrong. That is only one type of ADHD. I have inattentive ADHD and stimulants don’t have any effect on me. My problem isn’t that my brain works too fast or too slow— it’s that it can’t focus so I keep forgetting what I’m doing and start thinking about something else. If you have this kind of ADHD extra time is critical.

+1. Having inattentive ADHD is like trying to take an exam while watching TikTok at the same time. Stimulants don’t help this situation at all.

Stimulants help this exact brain if the person actually has ADHD. My kid's brain is going 100 miles an hour and he studies while watching Tiktok and listening to music and his mind leaps from topic to topic in rapid fashion. Taking a stimulant slows this all down so he can focus. It take the 100 miles per hour brain down to maybe 30 mph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid, a TJ graduate who attends an elite college without any test prep or college counseling, was diagnosed with ADHD in college. Their high IQ masked their executive function deficits all along. They never need extra time for any tests, in fact, they think so fast that they always finish tests earlier than others. They struggled with big projects or paper that need planning and execution over several weeks or months. ADHD meds helped tremendously. It’s such a relief to get diagnosed now that they understand why they are different from other students.

This is my kid exactly. Diagnosed with ADHD in high school and a stimulant changed their life. Without meds they FLY through tests. Medication with a stimulant SLOWS THEIR BRAIN DOWN. This is a hallmark of actually having ADHD brain chemistry. A stimulant slows you down. My kid will tell you "my medication allows me to actually think. Without it my brain is just flipping through things at lightening speed. With it I can finally focus"

My kid also never had or asked for extra time (although of course the psychologist offered to recommend it in their write-up) My kid needed to fill the time they had. It's always bothered me that so many kids with ADHD are given extra time because if they truly have ADHD they shouldn't need it.

Wrong. That is only one type of ADHD. I have inattentive ADHD and stimulants don’t have any effect on me. My problem isn’t that my brain works too fast or too slow— it’s that it can’t focus so I keep forgetting what I’m doing and start thinking about something else. If you have this kind of ADHD extra time is critical.

It’s not inattentive vs hyperactive that’s the difference, though. My two inattentive teens also don’t need time accommodations because they fly through tests. Folding and putting away their laundry on the other hand is literally an all day process.

Same here. Folding and putting away laundry is so on point. We have two ADHD kids and one ADHD parent in our family. Their brains are different - they are fast in solving puzzles and hard math problems, but they can’t keep their room and work space organized and clean, as if the chaotic space don’t bother them at all. They are the kings of procrastination, but also super productive in last minute tasks. They work or at least manage okay under clear and short deadlines, but are miserable with long term projects. Extra time doesn’t help at all.

[Anonymous]

Even though this is a depressing topic as a parent of an ADHD kid this is an interesting thread on ADHD. I had no idea that adderall was banned in Europe.

My kid describes his issues as noise in his head that stops him from doing activities he does not like. He says the medication quiets the noise. He also has slow processing speed but general whips through work so while he had an extended time accommodation, he never uses it.

I worry a lot about his ability to function in college. He’s come a long way with his issues but it’s definitely still a problem. Very disheartening that so many kids are taking advantage of the system and this will only make it harder for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the pp with older kid having ADHD, high IQ and hyper focus on school (due to his autism) does well at school without using extra time. His brain works so fast that I don't think it needs to rest. He could forgets where he puts his things a few minutes ago, but he could remember mostly what he has learned from school. I rarely see him study for anything even before test or exam. He is just a smart kid for now masking a lot of his weakness. For the younger kid suffering from mainly ADHD inattentive, she forgets mostly what she has learned from school. She is in daydreaming mode at school even though she is trying her best to pay attention. We are planning to put her on medication. Some pp says there is no med to help her to stay focus on learning, is it for real?

My inattentive kid absolutely needs his meds, he was on Concerta for many years and now is on Focalin.

He was always the daydreamer, scatter brained, loses everything kid. Wicked smart always and was in AAP then honors then IB.

He took the PSAT without accommodations but with meds and got the NMF designation. For SAT, applied for extra time but was denied and still got a 1510.

He says meds help him focus. He also has OCD, anxiety, EF challenges and his diagnosis has been updated to AuDHD inattentive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even though this is a depressing topic as a parent of an ADHD kid this is an interesting thread on ADHD. I had no idea that adderall was banned in Europe.

My kid describes his issues as noise in his head that stops him from doing activities he does not like. He says the medication quiets the noise. He also has slow processing speed but general whips through work so while he had an extended time accommodation, he never uses it.

I worry a lot about his ability to function in college. He’s come a long way with his issues but it’s definitely still a problem. Very disheartening that so many kids are taking advantage of the system and this will only make it harder for him.

My son is a freshman at an OOS flagship across the country. I was terrified but he has done very well. He has accommodations in college of extra time, can take exams at the office of disability services, and has a single suite.

He’s had challenges for sure - he still struggles to stay on top of assignments and did lose points for forgetting to submit pop quizzes or complete all parts of an assignment. Still finished the semester with a 3.5 gpa in the honors college.

His dorm room is a mess but he does clean up, does his own laundry and picks up his prescriptions.

I do have to provide some scaffolding support via daily checkins and reminders of due dates.

[Anonymous]

Wypipo: Asians cheat by studying for tests.
ALSO Wypipo: my kid has ADHD and needs more time for the tests.

We all know that the overdiagnosis abuse is mostly happening in the white community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though this is a depressing topic as a parent of an ADHD kid this is an interesting thread on ADHD. I had no idea that adderall was banned in Europe.

My kid describes his issues as noise in his head that stops him from doing activities he does not like. He says the medication quiets the noise. He also has slow processing speed but general whips through work so while he had an extended time accommodation, he never uses it.

I worry a lot about his ability to function in college. He’s come a long way with his issues but it’s definitely still a problem. Very disheartening that so many kids are taking advantage of the system and this will only make it harder for him.

My son is a freshman at an OOS flagship across the country. I was terrified but he has done very well. He has accommodations in college of extra time, can take exams at the office of disability services, and has a single suite.

He’s had challenges for sure - he still struggles to stay on top of assignments and did lose points for forgetting to submit pop quizzes or complete all parts of an assignment. Still finished the semester with a 3.5 gpa in the honors college.

His dorm room is a mess but he does clean up, does his own laundry and picks up his prescriptions.

I do have to provide some scaffolding support via daily checkins and reminders of due dates.

how do you know due dates?

[Anonymous]

I didn't read all the posts. I have a kid who has ADHD, first diagnosed in pre-k. Extra time on a test is a useless accommodation. He's the first one to finish any test or assignment because he rushes through everything to get it over with and game or doodle. Just getting him to use the full allotted time would be huge! I am very skeptical of the people who get an ADHD diagnosis to get more time on tests.

The only accommodation that helped him was medication, but he went in the opposite direction and stopped taking it in middle school because he wants to be a pilot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read all the posts. I have a kid who has ADHD, first diagnosed in pre-k. Extra time on a test is a useless accommodation. He's the first one to finish any test or assignment because he rushes through everything to get it over with and game or doodle. Just getting him to use the full allotted time would be huge! I am very skeptical of the people who get an ADHD diagnosis to get more time on tests.

The only accommodation that helped him was medication, but he went in the opposite direction and stopped taking it in middle school because he wants to be a pilot.

You know not every kid with ADHD presents like this right? Some zone out and need more time. Others have issues with processing so need more time.

Also your child may have issues with time management on timed tests that results in rushing.

[Anonymous]

I also wonder if one truly had ADHD if one is affected by adderall the same way. My son says caffeine calms him. Opposite affect for me!