Colleges for smart kids with learning disabilities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think small and mid-sized colleges that prioritize undergraduate education would be better than huge RI universities where your kid may be taught by grad students in lecture classes of 100+ students.

I'd look at American, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and William & Mary to start.

Scratch W&M. I have a kid there with ADHD who does not need accommodations at this point. She says if she did, she’s be in trouble. Love the school. But it’s a hard a## about ADHD accommodations.

Sent a different ADHD kid who needed more accommodations Oberlin and was very pleased with how the school handled it.

Uh-oh. My kid with SLD and ADHD just committed to W&M! She was sold by the size, campus, and undergrad focus. I’ve just started working with the accessibility office but I’ve been encouraged so far. I’ll report back once I’ve got more data.

I’m the PP. and do not want to panic anyone. This is sample size one kid— with ADHD— who has done exceptionally well at W&M. She has not needed accommodations— like many smart women, she compensates for low PS/ high GAI well. And she worked with an EF coach in HS and was prepared to manage the load. And paid attention each semester to course balance— not all reading or writing or. Labs in one semester— a mix of classes so she didn’t have, say, two classes reading 500 page novels. Also like many women with ADHD, she has anxiety, and WM was exceptionally helpful at sitting with her and helping her find good, walkable counseling on our insurance (as in the school evaluated her to see if short term, on campus counseling would work. When she decided she wanted more than that, they scheduled three sessions, helped her write emails to therapists and screen therapists and set up appointments with a couple so she could choose a good fit, vs kids I know at other schools who were handed a list and told good luck). This was at one point when some situational stressors made her decide to get help with the anxiety.

Her opinion that W&M isnt accommodating isn’t first hand experience. She is going off of what friends say about getting things like extensions of time. Which is not that it isn’t granted. But more that they require the documentation to all be there and will only give what the documentation shows. Basically, she says friends say it’s a PITA. Not that it isn’t there. I don’t want to panic anyone. For all I know, these friends don’t have the testing and are asking for more informal extensions, which W&M isn’t generous about.

As a parent of an ADHD kid, I will say this. COLL 100s are 4 credits and they must take one each of the first 2 semesters. Any foreign language classes are 4 credits. They need 2 fine arts credits. Kids usually come in with a decent amount of APs. Mine is graduating next year on time (8 semesters plus a summer abroad program) with two very demanding majors, both of which required a lot of pre-recs before she got to the major itself. She needs only 5 classes senior year to graduate with both majors and 3 to graduate with a major and a minor. She could technically get out a semester early with a double major, and easily with a major and a minor. But she loves it, it’s paid for, and I want her to have a wonderful, fun, (hard working) full senior year, and enjoy her friends, the traditions, the works. She took 4 classes instead of 5 both semesters freshman year (15 credits, because 2 COLL 100s at 4 credits each and 2 foreign language at 4 each and 2 1 credit music classes both freshman semesters, plus 2 3 credits classes— I’m not counting her 1 credit instrument lesson that was pass fail as a class). This was an excellent call. Some kids take 5 because they are all over achievers. There is no reason to do that a freshman with ADHD. Encourage your kid to take 4 classes instead of 5 while they get their footing— even if no foreign language and it’s 14 credits. Better to do 4 well and get decent grades and a solid start to college than 5 and falter and start in the hole grade wise.

Good luck, and Welcome to the Tribe!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. It was helpful to me and others I’m sure. I will definitely encourage DD to take 4 classes freshman year if she can. If a freshman had 4 years of language in HS, aren’t they excused from the language requirement?

Omg, why would you send your LD kid to W&M? That is just irresponsible.

Plenty of high-stats twice exceptional children who also have learning disabilities go to top schools. Each child is different but it’s wrong to suggest no kids with LDs should ever attend a certain school. That feeds into a lot of false narratives about learning disabilities.

I’m the irresponsible parent sending my kid to W&M. She was accepted based on the merits of her academic record and all she’ll bring to the school. She’s smart, driven, hard working, and high performing. She’s clearly qualified or she wouldn’t have gotten in. She beat out 75% of her high performing classmates to earn a spot at W&M. Why wouldn’t a top performer go to a top school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think small and mid-sized colleges that prioritize undergraduate education would be better than huge RI universities where your kid may be taught by grad students in lecture classes of 100+ students.

I'd look at American, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and William & Mary to start.

Scratch W&M. I have a kid there with ADHD who does not need accommodations at this point. She says if she did, she’s be in trouble. Love the school. But it’s a hard a## about ADHD accommodations.

Sent a different ADHD kid who needed more accommodations Oberlin and was very pleased with how the school handled it.

Uh-oh. My kid with SLD and ADHD just committed to W&M! She was sold by the size, campus, and undergrad focus. I’ve just started working with the accessibility office but I’ve been encouraged so far. I’ll report back once I’ve got more data.

I’m the PP. and do not want to panic anyone. This is sample size one kid— with ADHD— who has done exceptionally well at W&M. She has not needed accommodations— like many smart women, she compensates for low PS/ high GAI well. And she worked with an EF coach in HS and was prepared to manage the load. And paid attention each semester to course balance— not all reading or writing or. Labs in one semester— a mix of classes so she didn’t have, say, two classes reading 500 page novels. Also like many women with ADHD, she has anxiety, and WM was exceptionally helpful at sitting with her and helping her find good, walkable counseling on our insurance (as in the school evaluated her to see if short term, on campus counseling would work. When she decided she wanted more than that, they scheduled three sessions, helped her write emails to therapists and screen therapists and set up appointments with a couple so she could choose a good fit, vs kids I know at other schools who were handed a list and told good luck). This was at one point when some situational stressors made her decide to get help with the anxiety.

Her opinion that W&M isnt accommodating isn’t first hand experience. She is going off of what friends say about getting things like extensions of time. Which is not that it isn’t granted. But more that they require the documentation to all be there and will only give what the documentation shows. Basically, she says friends say it’s a PITA. Not that it isn’t there. I don’t want to panic anyone. For all I know, these friends don’t have the testing and are asking for more informal extensions, which W&M isn’t generous about.

As a parent of an ADHD kid, I will say this. COLL 100s are 4 credits and they must take one each of the first 2 semesters. Any foreign language classes are 4 credits. They need 2 fine arts credits. Kids usually come in with a decent amount of APs. Mine is graduating next year on time (8 semesters plus a summer abroad program) with two very demanding majors, both of which required a lot of pre-recs before she got to the major itself. She needs only 5 classes senior year to graduate with both majors and 3 to graduate with a major and a minor. She could technically get out a semester early with a double major, and easily with a major and a minor. But she loves it, it’s paid for, and I want her to have a wonderful, fun, (hard working) full senior year, and enjoy her friends, the traditions, the works. She took 4 classes instead of 5 both semesters freshman year (15 credits, because 2 COLL 100s at 4 credits each and 2 foreign language at 4 each and 2 1 credit music classes both freshman semesters, plus 2 3 credits classes— I’m not counting her 1 credit instrument lesson that was pass fail as a class). This was an excellent call. Some kids take 5 because they are all over achievers. There is no reason to do that a freshman with ADHD. Encourage your kid to take 4 classes instead of 5 while they get their footing— even if no foreign language and it’s 14 credits. Better to do 4 well and get decent grades and a solid start to college than 5 and falter and start in the hole grade wise.

Good luck, and Welcome to the Tribe!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. It was helpful to me and others I’m sure. I will definitely encourage DD to take 4 classes freshman year if she can. If a freshman had 4 years of language in HS, aren’t they excused from the language requirement?

Omg, why would you send your LD kid to W&M? That is just irresponsible.

Plenty of high-stats twice exceptional children who also have learning disabilities go to top schools. Each child is different but it’s wrong to suggest no kids with LDs should ever attend a certain school. That feeds into a lot of false narratives about learning disabilities.

I’m the irresponsible parent sending my kid to W&M. She was accepted based on the merits of her academic record and all she’ll bring to the school. She’s smart, driven, hard working, and high performing. She’s clearly qualified or she wouldn’t have gotten in. She beat out 75% of her high performing classmates to earn a spot at W&M. Why wouldn’t a top performer go to a top school?

Adding on to dispel some myths about LD kids. DD’s comprehension and analytical scores are in the 96th-98th percentile and her processing speed is in the 4th percentile. She’s done just fine with extra time on tests and assignments. That’a all she really needs to show what she knows. Hopefully she’ll get those supports at W&M.

[Anonymous]

OP here and the above sounds a lot like my kid. I hope things work out at W&M!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think small and mid-sized colleges that prioritize undergraduate education would be better than huge RI universities where your kid may be taught by grad students in lecture classes of 100+ students.

I'd look at American, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and William & Mary to start.

Scratch W&M. I have a kid there with ADHD who does not need accommodations at this point. She says if she did, she’s be in trouble. Love the school. But it’s a hard a## about ADHD accommodations.

Sent a different ADHD kid who needed more accommodations Oberlin and was very pleased with how the school handled it.

Uh-oh. My kid with SLD and ADHD just committed to W&M! She was sold by the size, campus, and undergrad focus. I’ve just started working with the accessibility office but I’ve been encouraged so far. I’ll report back once I’ve got more data.

I’m the PP. and do not want to panic anyone. This is sample size one kid— with ADHD— who has done exceptionally well at W&M. She has not needed accommodations— like many smart women, she compensates for low PS/ high GAI well. And she worked with an EF coach in HS and was prepared to manage the load. And paid attention each semester to course balance— not all reading or writing or. Labs in one semester— a mix of classes so she didn’t have, say, two classes reading 500 page novels. Also like many women with ADHD, she has anxiety, and WM was exceptionally helpful at sitting with her and helping her find good, walkable counseling on our insurance (as in the school evaluated her to see if short term, on campus counseling would work. When she decided she wanted more than that, they scheduled three sessions, helped her write emails to therapists and screen therapists and set up appointments with a couple so she could choose a good fit, vs kids I know at other schools who were handed a list and told good luck). This was at one point when some situational stressors made her decide to get help with the anxiety.

Her opinion that W&M isnt accommodating isn’t first hand experience. She is going off of what friends say about getting things like extensions of time. Which is not that it isn’t granted. But more that they require the documentation to all be there and will only give what the documentation shows. Basically, she says friends say it’s a PITA. Not that it isn’t there. I don’t want to panic anyone. For all I know, these friends don’t have the testing and are asking for more informal extensions, which W&M isn’t generous about.

As a parent of an ADHD kid, I will say this. COLL 100s are 4 credits and they must take one each of the first 2 semesters. Any foreign language classes are 4 credits. They need 2 fine arts credits. Kids usually come in with a decent amount of APs. Mine is graduating next year on time (8 semesters plus a summer abroad program) with two very demanding majors, both of which required a lot of pre-recs before she got to the major itself. She needs only 5 classes senior year to graduate with both majors and 3 to graduate with a major and a minor. She could technically get out a semester early with a double major, and easily with a major and a minor. But she loves it, it’s paid for, and I want her to have a wonderful, fun, (hard working) full senior year, and enjoy her friends, the traditions, the works. She took 4 classes instead of 5 both semesters freshman year (15 credits, because 2 COLL 100s at 4 credits each and 2 foreign language at 4 each and 2 1 credit music classes both freshman semesters, plus 2 3 credits classes— I’m not counting her 1 credit instrument lesson that was pass fail as a class). This was an excellent call. Some kids take 5 because they are all over achievers. There is no reason to do that a freshman with ADHD. Encourage your kid to take 4 classes instead of 5 while they get their footing— even if no foreign language and it’s 14 credits. Better to do 4 well and get decent grades and a solid start to college than 5 and falter and start in the hole grade wise.

Good luck, and Welcome to the Tribe!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. It was helpful to me and others I’m sure. I will definitely encourage DD to take 4 classes freshman year if she can. If a freshman had 4 years of language in HS, aren’t they excused from the language requirement?

Omg, why would you send your LD kid to W&M? That is just irresponsible.

Plenty of high-stats twice exceptional children who also have learning disabilities go to top schools. Each child is different but it’s wrong to suggest no kids with LDs should ever attend a certain school. That feeds into a lot of false narratives about learning disabilities.

+1. If a kid can do well enough at a NOVA public to get into W&M, they can succeed at W&M. Mine ADHD kid went TJ to W&M. Both were excellent choices. To being with, boredom and rote learning are tough for 2e kids. Being challenged can be better for them than dealing with a dumbed down curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly this describes many many kids at every college. These are pretty common “disabilities” now

The question was about which colleges do well addressing their needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think small and mid-sized colleges that prioritize undergraduate education would be better than huge RI universities where your kid may be taught by grad students in lecture classes of 100+ students.

I'd look at American, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and William & Mary to start.

Scratch W&M. I have a kid there with ADHD who does not need accommodations at this point. She says if she did, she’s be in trouble. Love the school. But it’s a hard a## about ADHD accommodations.

Sent a different ADHD kid who needed more accommodations Oberlin and was very pleased with how the school handled it.

Uh-oh. My kid with SLD and ADHD just committed to W&M! She was sold by the size, campus, and undergrad focus. I’ve just started working with the accessibility office but I’ve been encouraged so far. I’ll report back once I’ve got more data.

I’m the PP. and do not want to panic anyone. This is sample size one kid— with ADHD— who has done exceptionally well at W&M. She has not needed accommodations— like many smart women, she compensates for low PS/ high GAI well. And she worked with an EF coach in HS and was prepared to manage the load. And paid attention each semester to course balance— not all reading or writing or. Labs in one semester— a mix of classes so she didn’t have, say, two classes reading 500 page novels. Also like many women with ADHD, she has anxiety, and WM was exceptionally helpful at sitting with her and helping her find good, walkable counseling on our insurance (as in the school evaluated her to see if short term, on campus counseling would work. When she decided she wanted more than that, they scheduled three sessions, helped her write emails to therapists and screen therapists and set up appointments with a couple so she could choose a good fit, vs kids I know at other schools who were handed a list and told good luck). This was at one point when some situational stressors made her decide to get help with the anxiety.

Her opinion that W&M isnt accommodating isn’t first hand experience. She is going off of what friends say about getting things like extensions of time. Which is not that it isn’t granted. But more that they require the documentation to all be there and will only give what the documentation shows. Basically, she says friends say it’s a PITA. Not that it isn’t there. I don’t want to panic anyone. For all I know, these friends don’t have the testing and are asking for more informal extensions, which W&M isn’t generous about.

As a parent of an ADHD kid, I will say this. COLL 100s are 4 credits and they must take one each of the first 2 semesters. Any foreign language classes are 4 credits. They need 2 fine arts credits. Kids usually come in with a decent amount of APs. Mine is graduating next year on time (8 semesters plus a summer abroad program) with two very demanding majors, both of which required a lot of pre-recs before she got to the major itself. She needs only 5 classes senior year to graduate with both majors and 3 to graduate with a major and a minor. She could technically get out a semester early with a double major, and easily with a major and a minor. But she loves it, it’s paid for, and I want her to have a wonderful, fun, (hard working) full senior year, and enjoy her friends, the traditions, the works. She took 4 classes instead of 5 both semesters freshman year (15 credits, because 2 COLL 100s at 4 credits each and 2 foreign language at 4 each and 2 1 credit music classes both freshman semesters, plus 2 3 credits classes— I’m not counting her 1 credit instrument lesson that was pass fail as a class). This was an excellent call. Some kids take 5 because they are all over achievers. There is no reason to do that a freshman with ADHD. Encourage your kid to take 4 classes instead of 5 while they get their footing— even if no foreign language and it’s 14 credits. Better to do 4 well and get decent grades and a solid start to college than 5 and falter and start in the hole grade wise.

Good luck, and Welcome to the Tribe!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. It was helpful to me and others I’m sure. I will definitely encourage DD to take 4 classes freshman year if she can. If a freshman had 4 years of language in HS, aren’t they excused from the language requirement?

Omg, why would you send your LD kid to W&M? That is just irresponsible.

Plenty of high-stats twice exceptional children who also have learning disabilities go to top schools. Each child is different but it’s wrong to suggest no kids with LDs should ever attend a certain school. That feeds into a lot of false narratives about learning disabilities.

I’m the irresponsible parent sending my kid to W&M. She was accepted based on the merits of her academic record and all she’ll bring to the school. She’s smart, driven, hard working, and high performing. She’s clearly qualified or she wouldn’t have gotten in. She beat out 75% of her high performing classmates to earn a spot at W&M. Why wouldn’t a top performer go to a top school?

Sounds like my dyslexic DC whose top choice is currently W&M (currently 10th grade, so it’s still early).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think small and mid-sized colleges that prioritize undergraduate education would be better than huge RI universities where your kid may be taught by grad students in lecture classes of 100+ students.

I'd look at American, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and William & Mary to start.

Scratch W&M. I have a kid there with ADHD who does not need accommodations at this point. She says if she did, she’s be in trouble. Love the school. But it’s a hard a## about ADHD accommodations.

Sent a different ADHD kid who needed more accommodations Oberlin and was very pleased with how the school handled it.

Uh-oh. My kid with SLD and ADHD just committed to W&M! She was sold by the size, campus, and undergrad focus. I’ve just started working with the accessibility office but I’ve been encouraged so far. I’ll report back once I’ve got more data.

I’m the PP. and do not want to panic anyone. This is sample size one kid— with ADHD— who has done exceptionally well at W&M. She has not needed accommodations— like many smart women, she compensates for low PS/ high GAI well. And she worked with an EF coach in HS and was prepared to manage the load. And paid attention each semester to course balance— not all reading or writing or. Labs in one semester— a mix of classes so she didn’t have, say, two classes reading 500 page novels. Also like many women with ADHD, she has anxiety, and WM was exceptionally helpful at sitting with her and helping her find good, walkable counseling on our insurance (as in the school evaluated her to see if short term, on campus counseling would work. When she decided she wanted more than that, they scheduled three sessions, helped her write emails to therapists and screen therapists and set up appointments with a couple so she could choose a good fit, vs kids I know at other schools who were handed a list and told good luck). This was at one point when some situational stressors made her decide to get help with the anxiety.

Her opinion that W&M isnt accommodating isn’t first hand experience. She is going off of what friends say about getting things like extensions of time. Which is not that it isn’t granted. But more that they require the documentation to all be there and will only give what the documentation shows. Basically, she says friends say it’s a PITA. Not that it isn’t there. I don’t want to panic anyone. For all I know, these friends don’t have the testing and are asking for more informal extensions, which W&M isn’t generous about.

As a parent of an ADHD kid, I will say this. COLL 100s are 4 credits and they must take one each of the first 2 semesters. Any foreign language classes are 4 credits. They need 2 fine arts credits. Kids usually come in with a decent amount of APs. Mine is graduating next year on time (8 semesters plus a summer abroad program) with two very demanding majors, both of which required a lot of pre-recs before she got to the major itself. She needs only 5 classes senior year to graduate with both majors and 3 to graduate with a major and a minor. She could technically get out a semester early with a double major, and easily with a major and a minor. But she loves it, it’s paid for, and I want her to have a wonderful, fun, (hard working) full senior year, and enjoy her friends, the traditions, the works. She took 4 classes instead of 5 both semesters freshman year (15 credits, because 2 COLL 100s at 4 credits each and 2 foreign language at 4 each and 2 1 credit music classes both freshman semesters, plus 2 3 credits classes— I’m not counting her 1 credit instrument lesson that was pass fail as a class). This was an excellent call. Some kids take 5 because they are all over achievers. There is no reason to do that a freshman with ADHD. Encourage your kid to take 4 classes instead of 5 while they get their footing— even if no foreign language and it’s 14 credits. Better to do 4 well and get decent grades and a solid start to college than 5 and falter and start in the hole grade wise.

Good luck, and Welcome to the Tribe!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this. It was helpful to me and others I’m sure. I will definitely encourage DD to take 4 classes freshman year if she can. If a freshman had 4 years of language in HS, aren’t they excused from the language requirement?

Omg, why would you send your LD kid to W&M? That is just irresponsible.

That's a highly discriminatory and prejudiced comment about learning disabled students, PP.

I'm the PP whose kid is at George Washington. He was accepted from Maryland to the W&M Dual Degree Programme with St Andrews but preferred GW's Elliott School of International Affairs, which is ranked in the top 10 nationwide for that major. Doing well there.

You need to educate yourself on what special needs actually means. Special needs do not automatically include a low IQ, or a disinterest in academics.

[Anonymous]

Schools with a reputation for undergraduate teaching are more likely to have profs with publications on pedagogy around teaching their particular field. That can include teaching to the neurodivergent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bit further but Connecticut College for sure. They have an amazing academic support center. And they have a cultural center designed for kids with all sorts of learning issues to have quiet space to study, meet like minded friends, etc.

OP here and I'm putting CC on the list for DD to consider. It's far from home, which may be the deal breaker, but looks great in many other ways. We'll definitely visit this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bit further but Connecticut College for sure. They have an amazing academic support center. And they have a cultural center designed for kids with all sorts of learning issues to have quiet space to study, meet like minded friends, etc.

OP here and I'm putting CC on the list for DD to consider. It's far from home, which may be the deal breaker, but looks great in many other ways. We'll definitely visit this summer.

I cannot tell you enough how this has been the perfect choice for my LD, but eager and bright, socially awkward kid with processing speed issues.

[Anonymous]

Can you comment more on how Connecticut College has been good for your student both with academic support and socially? Is it rigorous school academically? As an aside any thoughts on dorms and residential life in general?

[Anonymous]

What about other small liberal arts colleges like Hobart and William Smith , Dickinson and Lafayette?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3-4 hours from MCPS, I’d look at SMCM, Goucher, Loyola MD, Dickinson, St. Joe’s, Bryn Mawr, and Mary Washington to name a few schools that are supportive and nurturing for smart kids with accommodation needs. I bet your student would qualify for merit aid and scholarships at several with that high GPA!

Colleges that Change Lives could also provide a helpful starting point list.

https://ctcl.org/


+1 for Goucher. It’s a perfect fit for a family friend’s kid who is brilliant but needs several accommodations.

[Anonymous]

+1 for Goucher. It’s a perfect fit for a family friend’s kid who is brilliant but needs several accommodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about other small liberal arts colleges like Hobart and William Smith , Dickinson and Lafayette?

My kid was deciding between different LACs, and when we were down to the last couple, I called student support services at each. Got a great sense of not just the supports available, but also the people behind the supports, the vibe a student might encounter, biggest setbacks students tend to encounter, etc. My kid also has T1D, so I did the same with the health center to understand support available after hours, etc. Everyone was wonderful about answering questions, and I did find differences between them.

That said, I’ll bet all of the above are very strong in support.