If my kid weren't doing well in high school, there is no way I would pay for a liberal arts 4 year college. There is nothing wrong with going to community college

It depends on what "not doing well" is. I don't think a B student is necessarily ill equipped to go to college, but if she was a C/D student, then maybe not.

Agree with 11:31, read "Colleges That Change Lives".

Anonymous wrote:A lot of liberal arts colleges that offer excellent educations, but not as selective as the Amherst/ Williams/Swarthmore/Carleton/Pomona tier (think McDaniels, Earlham, Furman, Pitzer, Bard, Beliot, Denison, Kalamazoo, Hope, Knox, St. Olaf, Wooster, Allegheny, Evergreen State, etc.) are good fits for those kind of students.

If my kid weren't doing well in high school, there is no way I would pay for a liberal arts 4 year college. There is nothing wrong with going to community college.

Anonymous wrote:I highly recommend considering Bard College.

There is actually a NYTimes article about it today: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/nyregion/writing-essays-instead-of-applications-to-win-a-place-at-bard-college.html?_r=0.

No, not Bard. Lots of intellectual snobbery.

If her grades are "horrible", then her classes are too hard. Taken in their entiretly, they are too hard, given her overall ability to cope. It's a common problem with parents - believing their child needs advanced classes, extra years of foreign language and extra years of advanced math to go to college. I'm guessing this has resulted in a lower gpa than if she had just completed the high school graduation requirements.

I highly recommend considering Bard College.

There is actually a NYTimes article about it today: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/nyregion/writing-essays-instead-of-applications-to-win-a-place-at-bard-college.html?_r=0.

Many ADHD girls have have poor working memories. This really works against them in academics. It's very possible that she isn't "bright" in the sense that she is going to be able to do better than average. It's better to adjust expectations. B's may be a high grade for her and C's may be her average. Also, she needs medication -both for adhd and at this point anxiety also.

West Virginia Wesleyan College

https://www.wvwc.edu/services/thelearningcenter/disab.php

A lot of liberal arts colleges that offer excellent educations, but not as selective as the Amherst/ Williams/Swarthmore/Carleton/Pomona tier (think McDaniels, Earlham, Furman, Pitzer, Bard, Beliot, Denison, Kalamazoo, Hope, Knox, St. Olaf, Wooster, Allegheny, Evergreen State, etc.) are good fits for those kind of students.

Read "Colleges that Change Lives."

My SD is very similar. She is currently finishing 11th grade. At the beginning of the year her parents laid out the process for her. They told her she could go anywhere she could get into BUT she had to do the legwork. They would help and support her but the responsibility stopped with her. They told her she would need to bring up her grades, decided when she would take the SATs, meet with her guidance counselor, and do prelim research in where she would like to attend. She did none if it. Her parents reminded her once at thanksgiving and once more during winter break. It's now April and she still has done nothing. What this tells her parents is that she is not really interested in going to college. She was unable to demonstrate that she could take on a college age task with minimal support. If she wishes, community college is an option for her. You only need a HS diploma to go to CC.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like my kid! Several books are available that discuss colleges for ADHD kids.

Thanks I'll look into those!

Sounds like my kid! Several books are available that discuss colleges for ADHD kids.

My sister's DD is extremely bright but has ADD and has not applied herself in high school. Her parents are working to get her more help with managing the ADD but my niece is very resistant. Her grades are horrible. She has a 504 plan but does not want to use the accommodations. She is extremely self conscious about her diagnosis.
Hopefully next year, 11th grade will be a better one for her.
Does she have any options for college other than community college? (would community college even take her?)
Please offer suggestions for what can be done to try and work around this situation.
Thanks very much in advance.