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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]23.21 PP again.. An unrelated question.. How does his ADHD manifest itself if he's doing so well academically?  I suspect with a 1580 SAT he also has a high weighted GPA.. Also, what does he plan on studying?[/quote]

Thank you everyone for your kind responses. Sometimes DCUM can be hit or miss, and I just brace myself.

To answer, his ADHD manifests itself in his really poor executive functioning and hyperactivity. He's also highly distractable. He has an EF coach who he has had since 7th grade and his needs have changed over time, of course, but his ADHD makes his EF age about 14 years old. Luckily he was blessed with a high IQ and huge (and sometimes unhealthy) dose of perfectionism. He had a 504 all through HS and was approved for accommodations at GMU. He plans to major in computer science with a minor in physics.[/quote]

I know this is a very old post, but hoping I could get some feedback from the 23.21 poster above.

DS was just admitted to GMU CEC from the waitlist, with plans to major in Computer Science/software engineering. Stats are similar to your kid, super high IQ and intellectually strong, but with ADHD inattentive and very poor executive functioning. We really like GMU's Executive Functioning Program and understand that their learning supports are very strong. I am convinced he will need such supports to be successful in college

We want to get some insight from others who have worked with their disability services office. How was your son's first year and more importantly, what has been your experience with GMU's learning supports?[/quote]

I teach at GMU and I think the learning supports are very good. But we are a large university and right now the various supports are not centralized. This is being worked on. My advice is for you and your child to gather as much info (names, websites, contact info) as you can on learning supports and put them all in a Google doc. You or they can add to it if you hear about a support that you were not previously aware of. A lot of us professors provide info on supports in our syllabi, but sometimes we even miss things because it’s not all housed in one place online or physically. Tell your child that learning supports aren’t just for students who are struggling or have a disability (except for Office of Disability Services, of course). They can be used by everyone. [/quote]

This is very helpful, thank you. He committed to another school back in April, which is much smaller and doesn't have specialized programs like EFP and MASI at GMU. A key question is whether a small school, further away, with standard accommodations available, would be a better environment than a large school with specific programs and a strong reputation for learning supports. GMU's CS program is far superior, especially when including opportunities for internships.

Interestingly, the real stumbling block from my kid's perspective is first-year housing. He has rather severe OCD around contamination, and hates the idea of a communal bathroom which I believe all GMU's first-year dorms have. The other school is known for its really nice dorms, including suite-style setup in first-year housing. I read that a single could be possible as part of his accommodations.

We asked him yesterday that all else being equal, if the GMU dorms were like the dorms at the other school, would he choose GMU? Without hesitation, he said "yes".[/quote]

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