Recommendations? 3.5 GPA, needs both rigor and support.

[Anonymous]

My son got into UConn with great merit ($23K per year) which basically made it equivalent to in-state tuition.

I was surprised because his GPA was not good (3.3) and he was applying to engineering. I think it must have been his ACT score (34) that got him that kind of aid. So if your DS has a high score, you may get a similar package, I would look into it.

My DS has executive function difficulties and one of the reasons he applied was because UConn has a program called "Beyond Access" that helps students with EF issues (there is an extra fee associated with it, but it was reasonable).

[Anonymous]

I like how you say he’d get “bored” around less serious kids but he himself only has a 3.5 and you won’t even tell us his test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should plumb what you mean by “good default support.” [b]College is much less supportive than high school. There is much more opportunity to get lost, not go to class, sleep all day—even at a small school. There is tutoring and professors are helpful but the student has to seek it out.

You will not be able to access disability services for support without neuropsych testing. GMU wouldn’t even take 3 year old neuro psych test results (normal but this fact is inserted for OP to make her rethink why she isn’t doing this for her kid who needs support! If she wants support in college she must prove it’s needed). So we went and had (for us) a fourth round of testing which confirmed earlier diagnoses. Only then would disability services help our kid, which I fully understand. Our second ADHD kid who also had neuropsych testing used UVA disability services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some less selective schools that offer great merit aid and/or affordable out-of-state tuition and excellent student support (advising, executive function help), but still have solid/rigorous programs? Schools that might give money to a really bright but somewhat scattered student taking demanding courses and pulling about a 3.5 unweighted (higher weighted because of the rigor)? Student has an ADHD diagnosis but no IEP and does not receive any accommodations in high school, so probably won't in college either, but will still need a supportive environment with good default support. He is also a strong reader and thinker and would get bored in a sea of unserious or unintelligent peers. The lower GPA is from being scattered, occasional late work, etc., but not from lack of conceptual understanding. Any affordable-ish schools you'd recommend for this kind of student (ideally no more than 45K all-in, per year)? Prefer Mid-Atlantic or New England but would consider going further south. Does this exist?

OP, merit is given in exchange for something the school wants to report to USNWR: high GPA, high test scores, national awards, or hooked. They don’t hand out money for just showing up … so start with the colleges you can actually afford which means religious or in-state (yes, with testing and disability services helping) or community college and transfer to four year in-state public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some less selective schools that offer great merit aid and/or affordable out-of-state tuition and excellent student support (advising, executive function help), but still have solid/rigorous programs? Schools that might give money to a really bright but somewhat scattered student taking demanding courses and pulling about a 3.5 unweighted (higher weighted because of the rigor)? Student has an ADHD diagnosis but no IEP and does not receive any accommodations in high school, so probably won't in college either, but will still need a supportive environment with good default support. He is also a strong reader and thinker and would get bored in a sea of unserious or unintelligent peers. The lower GPA is from being scattered, occasional late work, etc., but not from lack of conceptual understanding. Any affordable-ish schools you'd recommend for this kind of student (ideally no more than 45K all-in, per year)? Prefer Mid-Atlantic or New England but would consider going further south. Does this exist?

What about distance from home, rural vs suburban or urban? What size school?

I found by the time we considered distance from home (ideally no more than than 4 hours) suburban/urban, school size (not too big that professors don’t know their students and not so small that socially confining) and budget - there would have been no schools on the list if an ADHD specific program/support was also part of the criteria. There was also some schools that were mentioned as supportive that were in a quarter system and my kid had a preference for semesters. We ended up a a medium size, liberal arts school; paying for private virtual EF coaching. We made sure our kid did the paperwork for disability services at school - they use the extra test time and taking the exam in a distraction free environment.

[Anonymous]

OP- you should post (w more details on preferences) on the following FB groups:

College Admission Advice for Awesomely Average Kids

And

Parents of College Bound Students with LDs, ADHD & ASD

[Anonymous]

My kids with similar unweighted GPA, 10-11 AP classes, and SATs over 700 in both sections got merit aid at lots of colleges outside of the top 30. That seemed to be the cut off for merit aid, but not admissions.

But I agree with PPs that without prior accommodations or a neuropsych recommending accommodations, you probably won't get them. So look for schools that have strong student academic services available to all students. I think you will find that most schools have that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like how you say he’d get “bored” around less serious kids but he himself only has a 3.5 and you won’t even tell us his test scores.

I have a similar kid. 3.5 GPA, applying test optional. Very academic in certain subjects, super artistic and creative, but struggles in other areas due to a learning disability. These kids are out there, are very real, and their needs and preferences may be nuanced. I’d second the two FB groups that another poster recommended. You’ll get a lot of input from knowledgeable and experienced parents without the type of judgmental comments exhibited by this poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one has recommended Bucknell?

With a 3.5 and no test scores you wish.

[Anonymous]

Sewanee, Dickinson, Gettysburg

[Anonymous]

Prof here. Please take 5K of that 45K and get a neuropaych now. Kids who struggle in college can be very prone to depression, and that's much harder to fix for _everyone_ than it is to line up the documentation now. Your kid will not be default entitled to help without it, and when fully 25 percent of my students are already accommodated and have to be supported on every major assessment, I'm not in a position to go looking for more. Please document the kid. It will reassure you, too.

[Anonymous]

For those recommending a neuropsych evaluation, where and how do you go about finding a reputable one, either out of pocket or otherwise?

My senior kid sounds like OPs, but has never had a formal evaluation or diagnosis. Would like to do this this year if possible, before college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those recommending a neuropsych evaluation, where and how do you go about finding a reputable one, either out of pocket or otherwise?

My senior kid sounds like OPs, but has never had a formal evaluation or diagnosis. Would like to do this this year if possible, before college.

We got a list of referrals from our pediatrician and also a few recommendations from friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some less selective schools that offer great merit aid and/or affordable out-of-state tuition and excellent student support (advising, executive function help), but still have solid/rigorous programs? Schools that might give money to a really bright but somewhat scattered student taking demanding courses and pulling about a 3.5 unweighted (higher weighted because of the rigor)? Student has an ADHD diagnosis but no IEP and does not receive any accommodations in high school, so probably won't in college either, but will still need a supportive environment with good default support. He is also a strong reader and thinker and would get bored in a sea of unserious or unintelligent peers. The lower GPA is from being scattered, occasional late work, etc., but not from lack of conceptual understanding. Any affordable-ish schools you'd recommend for this kind of student (ideally no more than 45K all-in, per year)? Prefer Mid-Atlantic or New England but would consider going further south. Does this exist?

What about distance from home, rural vs suburban or urban? What size school?

I found by the time we considered distance from home (ideally no more than than 4 hours) suburban/urban, school size (not too big that professors don’t know their students and not so small that socially confining) and budget - there would have been no schools on the list if an ADHD specific program/support was also part of the criteria. There was also some schools that were mentioned as supportive that were in a quarter system and my kid had a preference for semesters. We ended up a a medium size, liberal arts school; paying for private virtual EF coaching. We made sure our kid did the paperwork for disability services at school - they use the extra test time and taking the exam in a distraction free environment.

I can’t think of a single four year college or university that doesn’t have a disability services office which will help your kid get accommodations. You don’t need a specific ADHD program. This is what disability services do - help ADHD kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids with similar unweighted GPA, 10-11 AP classes, and SATs over 700 in both sections got merit aid at lots of colleges outside of the top 30. That seemed to be the cut off for merit aid, but not admissions.

But I agree with PPs that without prior accommodations or a neuropsych recommending accommodations, you probably won't get them. So look for schools that have strong student academic services available to all students. I think you will find that most schools have that.

This is not true at all schools, so it's worth asking the Disability Services office at each individual college on your DCs list what their requirements are.

My DC never had accommodations in HS, as she was "diagnosed" (my opinions about that process are an entirely different story that is irrelevant to this thread) with ADHD by her therapist during senior year. But she reached out to her college over the summer and was granted a peer notetaker upon request, extended deadlines on projects, and extended time/alternative locations for testing. There was absolutely no neuropsych testing involved at any time.