Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats. As a parent to a daughter with ADHD, I can assure you that getting into college is a lot easier than staying in college. I genuinely understand your excitement, we also had the same excitement. Our daughter failed out of a great university her first year and has been in community college and working part time.
But question… what does your gut say? I’m only asking, because in our situation, we knew it was risky and admittedly we got caught up in the excitement of visiting schools and talking incessantly to friends about the process. And when those acceptances came in we were on top of the world.
In retrospect I wish we had listened to our gut and sent her to cc first. While a smart girl, she had some growing up to do. There is a lot of free and unstructured time in college and let’s just say our daughter knew all the things she was supposed to do, and did none of them. It ended in a trainwreck. But it has come together now, living at home, cc, and p/t work.
I’m not trying to rain on your parade. Just make sure you set her up with all the right supports. And good luck!

Anonymous wrote:PP, I'm sorry your daughter's college experience didn't go well. But this isn't the topic of the post. We're talking about the process of getting our kids into college. You're welcome to start another post or find an existing one about what didn't go well for kids with disabilities in college.

I disagree. Weighing a teen's chances of success in an environment away from home with significant free and unstructured time is a big part of the process of getting our kids into college. It drives which schools to focus on, the questions to ask on tours, how to handle the disability office, and even which college consultant to choose. I think it's fair to ask OP how they went about this.

Also fair to ask OP exactly the scope and severity of the needs.

Anonymous wrote:Congrats. As a parent to a daughter with ADHD, I can assure you that getting into college is a lot easier than staying in college. I genuinely understand your excitement, we also had the same excitement. Our daughter failed out of a great university her first year and has been in community college and working part time.
But question… what does your gut say? I’m only asking, because in our situation, we knew it was risky and admittedly we got caught up in the excitement of visiting schools and talking incessantly to friends about the process. And when those acceptances came in we were on top of the world.
In retrospect I wish we had listened to our gut and sent her to cc first. While a smart girl, she had some growing up to do. There is a lot of free and unstructured time in college and let’s just say our daughter knew all the things she was supposed to do, and did none of them. It ended in a trainwreck. But it has come together now, living at home, cc, and p/t work.
I’m not trying to rain on your parade. Just make sure you set her up with all the right supports. And good luck!

Anonymous wrote:PP, I'm sorry your daughter's college experience didn't go well. But this isn't the topic of the post. We're talking about the process of getting our kids into college. You're welcome to start another post or find an existing one about what didn't go well for kids with disabilities in college.

I disagree. Weighing a teen's chances of success in an environment away from home with significant free and unstructured time is a big part of the process of getting our kids into college. It drives which schools to focus on, the questions to ask on tours, how to handle the disability office, and even which college consultant to choose. I think it's fair to ask OP how they went about this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP with the daughter that failed out. When I say “great school” we are not talking ivy league or anything, it was what was great for her. Don’t want to name school (many friends on here) but let’s say it was between the failed school and the U of Delaware, so that level. And fyi I think Delaware is a respectable school.

PP, I'm sorry your daughter's college experience didn't go well. But this isn't the topic of the post. We're talking about the process of getting our kids into college. You're welcome to start another post or find an existing one about what didn't go well for kids with disabilities in college.

That’s not how DCUM works. It’s an important perspective. I can see myself ending up in the same situation for the same reasons. Part of the issue is parents like OP posting about kids that clearly have very mild conditions and parents with very big resources. Not all of us here have that and when posts like this go up it’s important to have counterbalances.

Mild ADHD. Very very mild. And lots of money for tutors and possible private school. And maybe to pay full pay to a “T50” SLAC.

Back in 8th grade how likely would
You have seen this outcome?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whew! Just completed the college process for two kids with disabilities. Both got into their top choice schools. Both schools are really hard to get into. It's been quite a journey. Really really proud of them both. I'm willing to answer questions from other parents as long as they don't involve identifying information.

OP congratulations. My question relates to early high school. What were the most important skills your kids developed before heading into college visits, testing, and search/applications? What did they have in place heading into junior year that you think made them ready for visits/test prep/search/applications?

NP. I enrolled my dc in a summer course at Hopkins going into senior year. I wanted to see what dc was capable of independently. It was a great experience all around and gave me a peace of mind to send them away to college

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whew! Just completed the college process for two kids with disabilities. Both got into their top choice schools. Both schools are really hard to get into. It's been quite a journey. Really really proud of them both. I'm willing to answer questions from other parents as long as they don't involve identifying information.

OP congratulations. My question relates to early high school. What were the most important skills your kids developed before heading into college visits, testing, and search/applications? What did they have in place heading into junior year that you think made them ready for visits/test prep/search/applications?

Hmm, good question. I'm having trouble answering as to what skills they needed for college applications. I always thought of it as what skills were needed for college and then worked to help them develop those. Here are some (off the top of my head): independence in self care skills (from taking meds to laundry), tracking school work, studying for tests, using public transportation, safely navigating in community.

I can't think of any skills needed to be ready for visits. For test prep, each kid worked with a tutor. For that, you need their buy in, as in are they willing to work with a tutor and do the work the tutor assigns. If not, there's no point in paying for test prep. For college interviews, they did need prep, especially one whose disability impacts communication. One needed more coaching than the other on how to write professional emails.

We still need to work on making appointments for self (for medical care) and refilling prescriptions on own.

Anonymous wrote:Whew! Just completed the college process for two kids with disabilities. Both got into their top choice schools. Both schools are really hard to get into. It's been quite a journey. Really really proud of them both. I'm willing to answer questions from other parents as long as they don't involve identifying information.

OP congratulations. My question relates to early high school. What were the most important skills your kids developed before heading into college visits, testing, and search/applications? What did they have in place heading into junior year that you think made them ready for visits/test prep/search/applications?

Congrats! I have two SN kids who went through GMU and UVA.

For any student with tuition prices of today and a student who might need more support, do consider the option of tuition insurance.

Also know the key dates on the calendar
1 Last day to drop a class if that would help one complete a semester.
2 Last day to request an Incomplete rather than just failing a class.
3 If one needs accommodations make sure the student lets each professor know or at least those in classes where needed.
4 As yine moved on, consider what accommodations might be needed for GREs, LSATS, MCATS, or professional boards or certifications. And what documentation to get the accommodations. The need may not end with getting into college.
5 Aldo dropping out may be best thing to help a student recoup life’s balance and the community college offers the flexibility to do just that. Our daughter pulled out sophomore year for 9 months and had a blip at Christmas senior year. It is important to assess if a local therapist is need at college or not.
6 Remember there is no timetable on life, though in the midst of a situation it is hard not to think all is lost . Now she is helping a daughter in her college search!!