Please be kind & compassionate: 3.0 GPA with tutoring in 3 classes, & 26 ACT with extra time (ADD)

[Anonymous]

Here are some ideas. Many of these schools have particular programs just for kids with ADHD.

https://www.bestvalueschools.com/rankings/colleges-students-adhd/

I have personally seen Northeastern, Arizona, and WVU on college tours and they were all good.

WVU is a decent option because it is not that far, but far enough to "be off at college" and he even qualifies for Merit Aid. They have a MindFit program there for ADHD students.

Northeastern was a lot of fun and I absolutely loved that school. ADHD students get together with counselors often. It is costly though. $2750 a semester and tuition is already high. It is a pretty tough school to get in, but if he isn't going for engineering, it is easier.

Arizona is a gorgeous school. Great weather, a lot of outdoor study areas and activities. The SALT program looks amazing.

I would also ask school guidance counselors and go on the College Confidential Forums for help. You will get so much more feedback.

Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I struggled initially in college (suspect stealth ADD, my DS has ADHD). The key was

a) choosing a college close to home so that I could be home on the weekends. ADD isn't just an issue with academic achievement-- I notice with my DS that it's "load" in general- social, organizational, emotional, etc. Being able to decompress on the weekends if I needed (home cooking, just focusing on studying and sleeping) made it manageable.

b) I would consider an executive functioning coach for your DS--now and while he's in college. A coach can help him organize, plan, prioritize, etc. I think that can be one of the biggest challenges with a drastically increased workload and expectation.

OP here. Thanks for the helpful input. We'd love to have DS close to home, but he'd love to spread his wings. We have family all over the country, and figure he'll never be too far from a relative. Both DH and I went to colleges far from home, but I can see how it would have been pretty nice on occasion to have the option to go home on a Sunday for dinner and hanging out.

...that was the nice thing about going to school close to home but living in a dormitory. I chose how often I wanted to visit-- during my first year, I was home quite often- at least every other weekend, but as I got used to school, I became more self sufficient, so tended to stay on campus to study and be with friends.

It's also nice because you can pay in state tuition. If you're seriously concerned about your DS's success at college, you could offer to pay in state, then out of state if he wants to transfer or go to graduate school-- and at that point, he would be more mature and you would feel confident of his ability to handle it.

I know what you are saying, but it sounds like your DS is going to need some supports for college-- his grades and test scores are fine, but he gets a lot of support now to achieve that + you might be doing things to help him that you aren't cognizant of-- in our case, I help my DS a lot with organizing. It's something I do without even realizing it-- this morning he would have left the house without half of his stuff, if I didn't say anything. When kids have ADHD, we parents learn to compensate and it becomes second nature.

I will say that if your DS goes to college far away-- I would invest not only in academic tutoring, but an executive functioning coach. That way, you can have some assurance that your DS isn't missing important assignments or failing to plan ahead for major tests and projects. The academic struggles are usually secondary compared with the EF challenges of ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realize this is the DCUM bubble, but I don't understand the hand wringing over whether college would be appropriate. A 26 on the ACT is in the 82nd percentile - better than a majority of students who attend four year colleges.

OP here. Thank you for your comment. I'm just guessing that, if he had not had extra time (time and a half), the score would have been lower. Extra time seems like a big advantage of something like the reading section, where you have time to go back and check the passage.

I'm 10:58. It isn't a special advantage. He needs the accommodation and is entitled to it. it is leveling the playing field. You definitely should look at larger schools if that is what your ds wants. He needs to be in an environment where he is happy. There are lots of lists online like best schools for adhd etc that you can google. Oh, I totally forgot - look at the SALT program at University of Arizona. I have heard great things about it. It may be a perfect fit for your ds if he wants a big school.

That is a BAD idea. He won't be happy after one semester. You need to put him in an environment where he can be successful, not fail.

Are you familiar with schools with special programs like SALT? Marshall isn’t as big but also has great services and a very nice campus - the freshman dorms are right near the football stadium and downtown Huntington is cute. My ds really liked it. I think OP’s plan of additional tutoring along with using disability services would be a good plan. It helps to visit and see where he is comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Some of the CTCL colleges might work. (Some would be too hard.)

[Anonymous]

My child is in nearly the exact same position as yours OP. Here are some SLACs that our college counselor highly recommended for extra support, nurturing environment, relatively high retention rate for kids like ours: Highpoint University, Christopher Newport, McDaniel College, Goucher, Loyola MD, U of Miami, Furman, Eckerd, Elon, Denison. Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realize this is the DCUM bubble, but I don't understand the hand wringing over whether college would be appropriate. A 26 on the ACT is in the 82nd percentile - better than a majority of students who attend four year colleges.

OP here. Thank you for your comment. I'm just guessing that, if he had not had extra time (time and a half), the score would have been lower. Extra time seems like a big advantage of something like the reading section, where you have time to go back and check the passage.

I'm 10:58. It isn't a special advantage. He needs the accommodation and is entitled to it. it is leveling the playing field. You definitely should look at larger schools if that is what your ds wants. He needs to be in an environment where he is happy. There are lots of lists online like best schools for adhd etc that you can google. Oh, I totally forgot - look at the SALT program at University of Arizona. I have heard great things about it. It may be a perfect fit for your ds if he wants a big school.

That is a BAD idea. He won't be happy after one semester. You need to put him in an environment where he can be successful, not fail.

Let’s face it most ADHD kids are fine at large universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the CTCL colleges might work. (Some would be too hard.)

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is in nearly the exact same position as yours OP. Here are some SLACs that our college counselor highly recommended for extra support, nurturing environment, relatively high retention rate for kids like ours: Highpoint University, Christopher Newport, McDaniel College, Goucher, Loyola MD, U of Miami, Furman, Eckerd, Elon, Denison. Good luck!!!

Denison is a reach and unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Good for you advocating for your son and YES - your son is capable of college. You would be amazed at the numbers of colleges and universities that have services who will help your son adjust and get him the accommodations he needs. Several of my friends used college admissions counselors who specialize in students like your son to help them find the right fit. Don't be afraid! Good luck to you and your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[Yes, I can also post this in the special needs forum, but please also let me post here (where there are more parents with older kids )] --

Our DD is age 17, and is an 11th grader at an independent school in the DC area (not a top 3). We are biased, but we think he's a great kid. He is involved in sports and scouting, he helps out at home, has a lot of friends, and keeps us laughing with his great sense of humor.

He has ADD (which we observed way back in pre-school), and just this year started taking Vyvanse (ADD medication) for attention (since the difficulty of school really seems to have ramped up in 11th grade). He is eligible for accommodations like extra time in school, but does not like or want to use his accommodations. He genuinely finds school to be a challenge -- it does not come easy to him.

He has a tutor for 3 of his 6 classes, and has a 3.0 GPA. (This GPA has been consistent since 9th grade. In middle school, when grading was a bit more lenient, he had a 3.5 GPA). His GPA seems like a fair representation of his motivation and abilities. We believe his GPA would be lower without the tutoring.

He got a 26 on the ACT (with extra time).

He's obviously NOT going to apply to top colleges. We're thinking he can get into one of the lower-ranked colleges, and have a decent experience there. And we'd plan to pay for tutoring in college -- this would be critical (based on his experience with high school). We'll be full pay wherever he goes.

My question is -- do you think he has the aptitude to go to college based on these stats (3.0 GPA with tutoring in 3 of the 6 classes, and 26 ACT with extra time)? As his parents, we do think so, and want him to have the college experience and credential. And after graduation, he would obviously NOT be applying for jobs in highly competitive fields. Instead, he'd go into a field that is suited to his talents (maybe even something that does not require a college degree). Our worry is that he'll go away to college, realize that the work is much more difficult than in HS, and not feel like he's capable of completing a degree.

Please be kind and compassionate with any responses. Thank you in advance.

What great parents your DC has!

Yes, he definitely can do it!

[Anonymous]

It’s easy to get the idea that everyone with a decent job went to a great school and is whip smart. Not true. I work at a large consulting firm and we have tons of people who work “in house” in roles that aren’t client facing - HR, IT, Finance, purchasing, facilities. My employees in one of these departments mostly went to small regional schools you’ve never heard of and I’m guessing they had mediocre grades. They aren’t super smart or ambitious, but the are dependable, hard working, nice people with decent careers.

Most people think in the US don’t go to name brand schools.
Most people don’t have 6 figure, brag worthy jobs.
They still have fulfilling and interesting lives.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is incredibly encouraging -everyone has been very kind to the OP and helpful this puts my faith back in DC urban moms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[Yes, I can also post this in the special needs forum, but please also let me post here (where there are more parents with older kids )] --

Our DD is age 17, and is an 11th grader at an independent school in the DC area (not a top 3). We are biased, but we think he's a great kid. He is involved in sports and scouting, he helps out at home, has a lot of friends, and keeps us laughing with his great sense of humor.

He has ADD (which we observed way back in pre-school), and just this year started taking Vyvanse (ADD medication) for attention (since the difficulty of school really seems to have ramped up in 11th grade). He is eligible for accommodations like extra time in school, but does not like or want to use his accommodations. He genuinely finds school to be a challenge -- it does not come easy to him.

He has a tutor for 3 of his 6 classes, and has a 3.0 GPA. (This GPA has been consistent since 9th grade. In middle school, when grading was a bit more lenient, he had a 3.5 GPA). His GPA seems like a fair representation of his motivation and abilities. We believe his GPA would be lower without the tutoring.

He got a 26 on the ACT (with extra time).

He's obviously NOT going to apply to top colleges. We're thinking he can get into one of the lower-ranked colleges, and have a decent experience there. And we'd plan to pay for tutoring in college -- this would be critical (based on his experience with high school). We'll be full pay wherever he goes.

My question is -- do you think he has the aptitude to go to college based on these stats (3.0 GPA with tutoring in 3 of the 6 classes, and 26 ACT with extra time)? As his parents, we do think so, and want him to have the college experience and credential. And after graduation, he would obviously NOT be applying for jobs in highly competitive fields. Instead, he'd go into a field that is suited to his talents (maybe even something that does not require a college degree). Our worry is that he'll go away to college, realize that the work is much more difficult than in HS, and not feel like he's capable of completing a degree.

Please be kind and compassionate with any responses. Thank you in advance.

Hi OP,

My ex husband I'm pretty certain had undiagnosed ADHD. He was a really nice guy who worked hard. He told me college was tough for him and his ex wife (then girlfriend) got him through college. My ex husband went to DelVal Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture but only because his family at the time owned a fertilizer blending plant.

Anyways, my ex huband always managed to talk his way into really good jobs at job interviews. He always got a job offer at any place he interviewed. It was impressive. I got
rejected after tons of interviews I did.

It sounds like your son will do fine in college. I'd recommend find a college that peaks his interest. Your son will do fine on the job.

Your family sounds very supportive.

[Anonymous]

17:05 poster here

OP, I would not rule out the big schools like Penn State
and the like.

The benefit to the big schools is that there are a lot of majors and a kid can move around in the system and I've found classes easier at the big schools.

I do think it is important that kid has buy in on where he wants to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[Yes, I can also post this in the special needs forum, but please also let me post here (where there are more parents with older kids )] --

Our DD is age 17, and is an 11th grader at an independent school in the DC area (not a top 3). We are biased, but we think he's a great kid. He is involved in sports and scouting, he helps out at home, has a lot of friends, and keeps us laughing with his great sense of humor.

He has ADD (which we observed way back in pre-school), and just this year started taking Vyvanse (ADD medication) for attention (since the difficulty of school really seems to have ramped up in 11th grade). He is eligible for accommodations like extra time in school, but does not like or want to use his accommodations. He genuinely finds school to be a challenge -- it does not come easy to him.

He has a tutor for 3 of his 6 classes, and has a 3.0 GPA. (This GPA has been consistent since 9th grade. In middle school, when grading was a bit more lenient, he had a 3.5 GPA). His GPA seems like a fair representation of his motivation and abilities. We believe his GPA would be lower without the tutoring.

He got a 26 on the ACT (with extra time).

He's obviously NOT going to apply to top colleges. We're thinking he can get into one of the lower-ranked colleges, and have a decent experience there. And we'd plan to pay for tutoring in college -- this would be critical (based on his experience with high school). We'll be full pay wherever he goes.

My question is -- do you think he has the aptitude to go to college based on these stats (3.0 GPA with tutoring in 3 of the 6 classes, and 26 ACT with extra time)? As his parents, we do think so, and want him to have the college experience and credential. And after graduation, he would obviously NOT be applying for jobs in highly competitive fields. Instead, he'd go into a field that is suited to his talents (maybe even something that does not require a college degree). Our worry is that he'll go away to college, realize that the work is much more difficult than in HS, and not feel like he's capable of completing a degree.

Please be kind and compassionate with any responses. Thank you in advance.

These skills go a long way in life and these skills go a long way on future jobs.