How colleges perceive Resource class for twice exceptional student
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Anonymous
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My 10th grader has an IEP for extremely low processing speed and ADHD, and goes to resource. Nominally it's to receive organizational help and catch up on work, but its value has actually been to lighten his load in terms of number of classes taken (6 instead of 7), so he doesn't have too much homework. Despite a high IQ, he takes all his available time on schoolwork, and nothing we've tried has worked to get him to speed up. We've tried to request a lighter course load, but the IEP team says it's teacher-dependent and so far there hasn't been much decrease in homework.
My question is, how will a Resource class look on a college application? He has mostly As so far in high school. The school is asking whether we want to do away with Resource altogether, since he doesn't need the Resource teacher's help. However we are concerned about the 11th grade workload, when he will take AP World History, AP English Language, AP Calculus AB and Honors Physics, which will all be time-consuming in their own way, I imagine. Is doing away with Resource a good idea? Could he replace it with something super lightweight in his field of interest, ie social studies? Could he replace it with nothing at all, or would this look equally dubious? He is on track to meet all his graduation requirements. Thank you for your opinions. |
Anonymous
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A couple of thoughts:
1) ask your school how the resource class will show up on the transcript. What is the class called? 2) If your son needs resource to do well in his classes than he should take it. Although he doesn’t get help in the class, does he use that time to get homework done? Not worth taking it out of his schedule if he needs it to do well in his classes 3) Find the college that’s right for your kid. Don’t try to manipulate his schedule to “look better” for a college. It could be a very stressful and disappointing year. |
Anonymous
| The colleges will know what the 10th grade Resource class is on the transcript. If it will help him, have him take it next year, too. Then, his counselor should write about it or he can use the Additional Information section of the Common App to write about it. |
Anonymous
| He could be a TA for a favorite teacher/favorite subject |
Anonymous
| 6 instead of 7? And I was worried my kid's transcript would look bad with 5 instead of 6 (very intense private school). Also very high intelligence but severe ADHD and executive function disorder. I guess that explains why only deferrals so far from colleges. This area is insane. Seven classes?! |
Anonymous
| My son with ADHD took an academic support class in 9th grade. I don't care if colleges don't want him because of that. I want colleges to want him for what he has to overcome every single day. He won't have any APs and only a few honors classes. |
Anonymous
OP, I agree with the PP to find out what it looks like on the transcript, if it's there at all. If it involves credits, it seems likely to be included. If it is not for credit, it might not be there at all.
In our area out west, 7 is the norm. 5 core subjects plus electives, plus a study hall = 8 class periods, 4 per day with alternating days. My kid with issues is looking forward to fewer classes in college. |
Anonymous
Forgot to add, I wouldn't hesitate to leave it off the transcript if that's an option. Most transcripts do not look like a schedule, study hall is not included, etc. |
Anonymous
Our kids' DMV private requires 8 academic classes each HS semester (10 periods in the day). |
Anonymous
PP here. More specifically 8 academic classes required in 9th/10th grades. Minimum of 6 (and max of 8) in 11th/12th grades. |
Anonymous
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OP here.
Thank you. The Resource class is for credit, and does appear on the transcript. He doesn't need it at all right now, because we're in a virtual learning environment. But since he has 100% extra time for his tests, and usually finishes them in Resource, I wonder how he'll do once he returns to the building if we take it away? Can he just stay after school? This is MCPS. |
Anonymous
| I have 2 ADHD kids. Our successful work around? Summer school. Through FCPS online. Take whatever subject he doesn’t like then, and get it over with. Then take one fewer during the year, or an easier class. |
Anonymous
OP here. It's great you've made that work. DS was able to take his required Health class last summer. I'm not sure MCPS will have much to offer in way of non-required/non-remedial classes though, because in the past, they didn't offer much. Hopefully thanks to the pandemic, they'll understand that summer classes are a great tool for students. |
Anonymous
My sophomore also has resource. She has a 504 for ADHD. We switched her into resource for 2nd semester because she was getting buried in assignments, couldn’t keep up, and started having really bad anxiety as a result. We plan to have her stay in Resource throughout high school. She is in all honors courses, gets mostly As with an occasional B. The resource class, along with not loading her down with APs, keeps her mental health in check, which is far more important than how colleges will perceive her when she applies. Traditional schooling and ADHD do not mix well. We need to do better for these kids, as they are bright, creative, and can be extremely successful even though they struggle with having to manage 7 high school classes. |
Anonymous
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Why aren't all students allowed to take a resource class? It would benefit so many students that don't have support at home like students whose parents who didn't finish high school or struggled in school, english learners, students doing time consuming activities after school, students who have jobs, etc.
It seems strange that someone who is able to take AP World History, AP English Language, AP Calculus AB and Honors Physics is in a special education resource class with students trying just to graduate high school. I don't think a special education teacher is really going to be helping a student with AP Calculus homework. |