My DD has ADHD and gets extra time. Even with the extra time, she finds multiple test choices confusing and because she is very impulsive often misses key details and chooses wrong answers even though she knows the material. She rarely does well on standardized tests even though she is bright and does well in most subjects.

We do not foresee a future for her that involves standardized tests in the workplace or other assessments. She’s very good with visual/spatial and has great energy and people skills. We are very confident she will succeed professionally. She has already learned from part time jobs that showing up on time, doing what you’re asked, and being nice to people are skills she has that not everyone possesses.

dvandivier wrote:Mom of ADHD/Anxious kid here again:
It's clear that the skeptics on here have a COMPLETE lack of knowledge about the disability that is ADHD (and its common co-morbitity that is usually either/or anxiety/depression). It's not a scam to get extra time. It's NOT an advantage to have ADHD. It's NOT suspect (to those of us who know and have hope for our kids) that college students start to develop prefrontal cortex (which for ADHD kids is a delayed process) in college and that, along with peer pressure, makes them both better and probably forces them into hiding about the condition. My son's psychiatrist (who prescribes the meds he detests but needs in order to function in class since he was 7) said that she wrote 105 withdrawal letters in 2021 alone for many of her patients who are exceptionally bright but who couldn't cut it in college as freshmen. This is what we're desperately afraid of for our son and why I am interested in this post. For those who think this is a scam, maybe it is for some, but for those of us who have suffered along with our kids their whole lives, this is serious stuff.

It isn’t so much thinking it’s a scam, it’s more concern that it’s unsustainable. There’s a fine line between reasonable accommodation and using a crutch. Workplaces are not going to be as accommodating. Deadlines are deadlines and if their disability doesn’t allow them to perform the duties, they won’t be protected.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Most tend to have a rude awakening.

Interesting discussion--thanks to the college prof and ADHD parent! I'm taking notes!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

Would he like to trade places with my child? He's autistic, had no friends, and everything (including tests) takes him twice the time as everyone else, so he has less time to relax or for fun activities. Because while your son is "frustrated" that my child gets extra time, my child is frustrated that he *needs* (not wants) extra time.

Please calm down, PP.

My DC tells me there ARE kids in school who do not appear to have any learning disabilities, don't struggle, yet somehow have a diagnosis of test anxiety or something like that, and they get extra time on tests and on the ACT/SAT.

Is this true? I don't know, but DC is fairly observant. DC knows what autism looks like, and these kids do not have autism or anything like it. They're just hyper-competitive, as are their parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.

TY!

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

We found out DD has ADD just a few weeks ago. She complained bitterly about the kids with extra time on tests. She thinks they are cheating, faking it to get an ADD or LD diagnosis so they can get extra time.

She does have to work extra hard, probably too hard, which is why we had her tested, finally. Her case is mild, so she likely wouldn't even qualify for extra time, but it does seem unfair that so many kids get it.

"Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.


It’s not a dumb question to ask. Many careers have stringent deadlines. Not 22 hours. Not sure where you work, but even being a lawyer requires tight deadlines where you may only have a few hours to get something done."

So, being a litigator is probably not the best track for someone with ADD. Or, it's a great one if you have a kick butt paralegal. The buzz and excitement of a constant stream of new projects and questions to answer is really fun for me and I was really great at it. But it wasn't great for my overall health because I could easily skip meals and exercise since I was so immersed in the project. Great for my clients but bad for me.

There is no one size fits all here, people.

And I've taught grad and undergrads. I wish I'd had all the insights shared here by the current profs back when I was at the front of the classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.

Also, tests are designed to demonstrate WHAT YOU KNOW. Having more time to show whether or not you have knowledge is very different than taking twice as long to make a widget.

I am a professor and usually give all students as much time as they need to complete my tests. I want to find out if they understand the content I taught them. I don't care if they can show me that quickly. It is not a race. I just want to see if they grasp the concepts I tried to convey to them.

Do you understand the difference?

+1 If you don't know the answer, having extra time to prove that doesn't help!

Don’t be disingenuous. Extra time makes a big difference in being able to work through a difficult problem or in being able to check your work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.

It’s not a dumb question to ask. Many careers have stringent deadlines. Not 22 hours. Not sure where you work, but even being a lawyer requires tight deadlines where you may only have a few hours to get something done.

Even a lawyer has deadlines? Those are some of the toughest. As a lawyer I often have 5 critical things going on at the same time. It is the rare job that had those pressures and deadlines. Most people can take either 60 or 90 minutes to do something-- which would be the 50% accommodation. Most jobs would be fine with this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Wrong. You can shop around for a psychologist and you will find one to certify that your kid has issue and required extra time. It will cost you around 5K and will last three to four years, IIRC. I did that for one of my kids. He got extra time on SAT/ACT exam, and now that he is in college, he also get 50% extra time on exams. Just call college Student Services and it will be taken care of.

No PP is right. Your kid had an issue and got a report.

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

Begs the question...why not give everyone 50% more time to take the ACT?SAT and be done with it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.

It’s not a dumb question to ask. Many careers have stringent deadlines. Not 22 hours. Not sure where you work, but even being a lawyer requires tight deadlines where you may only have a few hours to get something done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am curious if all the kids getting extra time on tests have to disclose this for college and/or does your high school mention on your application. My DC has been asking I look into this and I have always said no although DC could benefit as we manage some add issues. DC gets good grades but has to study a lot and is getting frustrated at so many kids with the extra time. My answer was always that this will catch up when applying for college but now am not so sure and wonder if I should go through the process for extra time to lessen stress.

No this is not reported to colleges. Once admitted to college the people with diagnosed issues then share that with college to get services there -- like extra time, etc.

But you have to have an issue. You can't just ask for extra time. Colleges (and most high schools) will require a report from a medical professional of some type.

Not being snarky, but how do these kids turned adults tend to do in the workplace where they may not get extra time and accommodations they've had for years ? My son may be going down this road so I'm genuinely curious.

Well, they mostly don't becom surgeons or test pilots. Other than that, the real world works on projects on deadlines. Rarely is somebody tasked with something to be done in 15 minutes, that can't be done in 22 or an hour-long project that can't be done in an hour and half. If you're a boss that does ask that, you probably need management training. People ask this stupid question all the time. It's really a dumb question to ask.

Also, tests are designed to demonstrate WHAT YOU KNOW. Having more time to show whether or not you have knowledge is very different than taking twice as long to make a widget.

I am a professor and usually give all students as much time as they need to complete my tests. I want to find out if they understand the content I taught them. I don't care if they can show me that quickly. It is not a race. I just want to see if they grasp the concepts I tried to convey to them.

Do you understand the difference?

+1 If you don't know the answer, having extra time to prove that doesn't help!

You should meet your kid’s needs, not try to hide them so he can get into an elite school. I feel bad for him.

If he can learn better with accommodations, why force him to struggle. That is messed up.