Applying to College for Students With LDs or Neurodiversity

This post was co-authored by Dr. Miranda Melcher.

The college application process is a daunting task for all students. It can be even harder for students who are neurodiverse or have a learning disability (LD) and their families. They are often confused about how and what to disclose about their challenges when applying to college and which standardized tests to take, if any.

What to disclose on your college application?

Jane McClure, a college counselor (2013), notes that this topic often causes students and parents considerable fear that if the admission counselor knows of a learning disability, the student is less likely to be admitted. However, while this was occasionally true many years ago, she believes that it’s rarely, if ever, true today (Mamlet & Vandevelde, 2011). In her experience, admission officers are more concerned about whether a student can succeed in college. One of the qualities they like to see in students is resiliency, which can be demonstrated by overcoming hardship (Milsom & Dietz, 2009). McClure (2013) believes an application essay that describes difficulties experienced during high school (academic, social, organizational, or otherwise), with insight, self-awareness, and compensatory strategies, can be both compelling and impressive. In other words, disclosure of a learning disability can help a student be admitted as long as it is done appropriately.

What is the right way to write about this?

We recommend a straightforward presentation of how the LD or neurodiversity has impacted the student’s academic performance, along with a discussion of what the student has done to cope with these difficulties. McClure (2013) offers the example of a student who earned low grades during the first two years of high school in science courses. In their application, they described how they mastered the problem; working with a tutor, they learned an organizational system that enabled them to study more efficiently. Adding a notetaker further enhanced their ability to assemble and learn the material presented in lecture format. Those are the kinds of specifics that will be convincing to an admission officer, especially if junior-year grades in the sciences support the student’s story.

Should your student take college admission tests?

As might be expected, many students with LDs have difficulty with standardized tests. Consistently, research indicates that the SAT and ACT unfairly favor neurotypical students from higher-income brackets and certain racial or socioeconomic backgrounds.

Students with LDs might have significantly lower math scores than those with critical reading or writing, but this isn’t always the case. The critical reading section can be difficult for some of these students because of the inferential nature of many of the multiple-choice questions. The SAT is a critical thinking test and favors highly analytical students with extensive vocabularies who test well. However, unlike the ACT, the SAT penalizes students for incorrect answers, which is why students who can make intelligent guesses score higher than those who leave lots of blanks. The ACT is a problem-solving test and more straightforward. Similar to an achievement test, it mostly asks, “What did you learn in high school?” It is kinder to students with strengths in math and science.

In sum, some students with LD do quite well on these tests while others struggle. There is enormous variation in their performances, just as there is with neurotypical students. The website “Smart Kids with LDs” offer some general principles to keep in mind when deciding which test to take.

Study strategies

McClure (2013) suggests that the best strategy (if they are taking the tests at all) is for students to take both SAT and ACT practice tests early in the junior year to determine which test is more comfortable and is the best fit for the student. Try to duplicate the actual test situation. For example, if students have been granted extended time or other accommodations on the SAT or the ACT, it makes sense for them to take practice tests using those accommodations.

Many well-known test preparation companies (such as Princeton Review, Peterson’s, and Ivy West) have specific tutors they match with LD students. If this is an option, it is advisable to learn what test preparation programs and tutors are available in your student’s area who have experience and (perhaps) special training and can work effectively with students with LDs.

Studying for the SAT or ACT with one-on-one tutors is usually more effective for students with LD than taking regular classes because these students often learn differently and have a more difficult time grasping certain concepts. About math, for example, learning step-by-step sequential methods which require less visual–spatial problem-solving is beneficial for students with math challenges (Rubenstein, 2009).

Neurodiversity Essential Reads

Neurodivergence and EQ: Emotionally Intelligent Modifications

Why Dyspraxia Is Often Misunderstood

Alternatives to standardized tests

For those students who don’t perform well on either the SAT or the ACT, there is some good news. Each year, more and more colleges (currently over 1,800) join the list of schools that are “test optional.” Usually, this means that students can simply choose whether or not they wish to submit test scores as part of their application documentation. An additional caveat to keep in mind: Students who most benefit from test-optional admissions are those whose test scores are significantly lower than their grades.

At some schools, however, certain criteria must be satisfied if a student does not submit test scores. For example, at Franklin and Marshall College, students who do not believe that their standardized test scores reflect their academic ability can submit two graded writing samples (from junior or senior year) instead of SAT or ACT scores.

How do you decide what to do about testing?

So how can counselors and students figure out what to do about testing if they would prefer not to send their scores? This website is a good place to start. It provides a frequently updated list of colleges and universities “that do not use SAT or ACT scores for admitting substantial numbers of students into bachelor’s degree programs.”

Once individuals have identified colleges on this list that are of interest to them, it is essential that they next go to the specific college websites to find out if there are other requirements to satisfy instead of SAT or ACT scores. If not, students can feel comfortable submitting their application materials without submitting test scores.

Dr. Miranda Melcher is an expert on neurodiverse inclusive education and co-author of the book NVLD and Developmental Visual-Spatial Disorder in Children.