Is There a “Best” College for Students with a Certain Learning Disability, Dyslexia, or ADHD?
As their student starts their search, parents may wonder, “What is the best college for a student with ______ (dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, auditory processing disorder, etc.)?”
It is a good question to ask, but it’s hard to answer, as even students with the same disability will vary in how it affects them. As a result of these differences, a school that is a good fit for one student with a visual processing disorder may not work well for another. Also — what makes a college a good fit is a combination of factors, so even if one college does a good job of meeting the needs of students with a certain type of disability, differences in what each student seeks in a college may mean it is not a good match for all of them.
It may be more helpful to think about what your student thinks would make a college a good fit, based on their strengths and the impact of their disability. Are they looking for a college with small classes because they learn by listening and asking questions? That can be an easier category to explore. Are they looking for a college where they are doing hands-on learning? This may require more searching.
Many colleges have a combination of large lecture, smaller discussion-based classes, as well as lab-based classes, but there aren’t “special education” college classes designed solely for students with disabilities. And while many professors may provide slides to accompany lectures, they don’t have to do so. Also — many colleges require students to take classes in a range of areas, such as writing, and substitutions may not be available.
I’ve written two articles on what students should consider when composing their college lists (one for Understood, another for my site), including length of the term, graduation requirements, etc. While they are applicable to many students, those with disabilities may need to emphasize them.
Your student may be thinking that a good match will depend in part upon the accommodations and supports they will receive.
If you do a search for colleges that are good for students with learning disabilities (LD) or ADHD, you will often find that the lists include colleges offering a fee-based support program. It’s important to know that college disability accommodations are free, so they don’t need to attend one of the colleges that offer a program in order to receive basic adjustments such as extended time for tests, permission to record lectures, etc. (See this post to learn what accommodations disability services, or DS, directors say they commonly approve, and this one to see which ones they don’t.)
Many students will do fine with the basic accommodations available everywhere, so concentrating solely on the colleges with fee-based programs may unnecessarily narrow their search.
Of course, the accommodations students might receive may be part of the consideration for what college they choose to attend.
Students can use this form (a free resource from my first book) to do some online research on what accommodations each college offers (and to research additional on-campus resources). Some colleges don’t provide lists of accommodations; others may provide a small list of basic accommodations. This doesn’t mean they don’t provide accommodations, don’t want students to know about them, or that the lists they do provide are complete. Don’t make negative assumptions from what you see (or don’t). Students can call to ask more questions.
Also, be aware that if you know a student who received a certain accommodation at a certain college, it doesn’t mean that another student with the same learning disability or ADHD will be guaranteed the same one if they attend that college.
What might be frustrating is that some DS offices don’t list accommodations by disability type (though some do). This is because the decision about accommodations is an individualized one, based on what DS thinks each student needs. This also means that there probably isn’t a “best” college for students with, for example, ADHD — at least from an accommodations standpoint. (Again, this is because they all have individual needs.) On a positive note, though, if a student can get the accommodations they want at many colleges, this means that they have a lot of good options.
It would be ideal if students could know what accommodations they’d receive at each college. Unfortunately, many DS offices don’t have enough staffing to review the documentation and requests of students who are just applying for admission. That said, it’s always worth asking — they might be pleasantly surprised. They can then use that information to help them make their decision further down the road. [Be aware that the process of applying for accommodations happens after students are admitted and enroll at a college. Also — what they do or don’t say when applying to college has no bearing on their ability to apply for accommodations once they enroll. Read my book for more on this.]
To return to the subject of fee-based programs — what they typically offer is certain supports that colleges don’t have to provide (and many don’t), such as weekly access to a learning disability specialist. (See what some programs offer here.) If students still need a lot of support, these programs can be a good choice. Families should be aware of the limits of these programs (see this, too) and their expectations for students. And they should not focus on such a program to the exclusion of other elements that make for a good fit. For example, a college with a fee-based program won’t be a good match for a student who wants to major in neuroscience if the school doesn’t offer it.
Another important thing to know is that even when students pay for a fee-based program, it probably doesn’t mean that they will get approved for what is often called “modifications,” such as permission to retake exams for a better grade, shorter papers, or alternatives to papers, etc. If your student is looking at one of these programs, don’t make assumptions about what will be provided — ask questions.
There are two colleges that are just for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders — Landmark and Beacon. Their entire environment is specialized and supportive, but students have to like the overall college offerings in order for either of these to be a good fit, just as is true with other colleges.
To circle back to the initial question — I’d posit that there isn’t any one individual college that is best for all students with the same disability. Each student is an individual, and they should know what they want and need and choose a college based on that list. I see this as positive — this means the range of possibilities may be quite wide!
To learn more about what the college environment holds (and what it may not) for students with disabilities, read my book.
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