| There are no national standards for accommodations | | | | It is important to remember that, in all cases, |
| that students with learning disabilities, such as ADHD | | | | students must voluntarily request these services; |
| or dyslexia, should receive. An increasing number of | | | | they are not provided automatically, or by law, as |
| students are being diagnosed with such disabilities, | | | | they are for primary and secondary-level students |
| and colleges in general are more sensitive to this fact, | | | | with learning disabilities. Also, many colleges have |
| but one should not take accommodations for | | | | strict criteria that a student must meet to qualify for |
| granted. Students must be certain that their | | | | accommodations, and students who received special |
| documentation, no older than three years from the | | | | accommodations during grade school and/or high |
| time they start college, clearly supports the | | | | school may not necessarily qualify for similar |
| accommodations they require. | | | | accommodations in college. Some colleges, for |
| When researching a college, be sure to consult its | | | | example, may disregard past learning disability |
| web-page for students with disabilities, or speak | | | | diagnoses, requesting a new diagnosis from no earlier |
| directly with its disability services office, to see what | | | | than the past year. It is a good idea, then, to have a |
| services and accommodations it offers. | | | | psychoeducational exam right before entering college. |
| Accommodations may include: | | | | Again, consult each college's website, or speak |
| Increased test-taking time | | | | directly with the admissions office, regarding the |
| Alternative test formats and/or locations | | | | criteria for receiving accommodations. |
| Note-takers or scribes to take notes in class and | | | | Colleges run the gamut from offering entire programs |
| or transcribe what the student dictates | | | | and curricula designed specifically for the |
| Textbooks and other course materials that have | | | | learning-disabled, to offering low-quality services or |
| been converted into other formats, such as audio | | | | nothing at all. Always bear in mind that, when it |
| recordings | | | | comes to your needs, no two schools are alike, and |
| Substitutions for certain required courses | | | | some are far better than others. It is important to |
| Reduced course-load (while still allowing the | | | | be discriminating, so you are assured that a college |
| student to maintain full-time status) | | | | can meet your particular needs. |