Helping Your Child Make Academic Transitions
March 10, 2021
Adventures in Summer Learning 2021
March 24, 2021
Last night Springer School and Center hosted our annual program, “Pathways to College Admissions for Students with LD or ADHD.” One advantage of Zoom was the opportunity to invite a speaker from outside Greater Cincinnati.
Faculty from Notre Dame College’s Academic Support Center provided information on the supports available at the private, liberal arts college. Their services include not only academic support, but social and emotion support. Like our local Mount St. Joseph University’s Project EXCEL, Notre Dame's program provides a wrap-around support for college students with LD and/or ADHD. These types of specialized programs have a fee that is separate from tuition.
Our very own Barbara Hunter provided a “road map” for helping families decide if the student is ready for college. One of the points she stressed was the need to continue developing the Executive Function skills, especially as related to being independent on a college campus. This might mean ramping up chores at home to include doing laundry, changing sheets, managing finances, and learning to say “no” to social events when there is a pressing academic commitment such as a test. A recording of the full program will be available soon in the webinar section of our website.
Some additional points:
- By federal law all post-secondary programs must follow the law requiring accommodations for students diagnosed with a disabling condition, whether medical, physical, learning or mental health related. All Colleges and Universities have a Center to assist students with disabilities.
- Students must “self-identify” to the Disability Services Center as a student with a Disability.
- Most institutions require an evaluation to document the disability as well as how the disability impacts the student’s learning, organizational skills, time management, ability to navigate stairs or tolerate noise in the dorm. Check the website of the institution for specific requirements for the student’s disability. Some require an evaluation that is no more than three years old.
- Usually if the student has a history of having an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan, received accommodations on high stakes tests (ACT, SAT, AP), and used the accommodations, they will be eligible for accommodations in college.
- If the student is determined by the University to have a disability, based on an evaluation submitted by the student, the accommodations received in college will also be honored during testing to enter Graduate School, Medical School or another professional school.
- When a student begins college, take the minimum number of courses to be a full-time student (to live in the dorm).
It has been my experience that when students “flunk out” or leave college early, it is due to poor Executive Function skills rather than a Learning Disability. Students failed to realize that most work in college is outside of class. They did not keep up with the workload for a number of reasons: not prioritizing work over more enjoyable tasks, poor study skills, challenges with managing their time and being disorganized. Students get behind, stop going to class and become demoralized rather than seeking help from the professor, the department, free tutoring on campus, or Disability Services. This can happen to anyone, not just a student with a disability.
My best advice: encourage your student to seek help early.
Blogger Mary Ann Mulcahey, PhD, shares her expertise in assessment and diagnosis of learning disabilities and ADHD, and the social/emotional adjustment to those issues. If you have questions, please contact Mary Ann at
