Bipolar Disorder, Learning Disabilities and College

momdiquattro
Tue, 13 Aug 2013 16:56:35 +0000

My son is a rising senior diagnosed with ADHD in 7th grade and began taking medication which helped. However, by 10th grade, we realized that the ADHD diagnosis was not telling the whole story. S was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in January and is now taking medication to address the symptoms (mood stabilizer, antidepressants and Concerta/Ritalin).

He is doing much better but receives a lot of academic support in the form of tutoring and me organizing his life for him. He has made progress but with just one year left of high school, the shift to college will no doubt be difficult. Academically, he is a B/C student. Much depends on his relationship with the teachers which, when good, motivates him to do his best. So, his GPA is around a 2.8. The average GPA at the international school he attends in Rome Italy for graduating seniors is around 3.1, so he is not as far off as one would think. However, he is NOT taking any IB courses (most students graduate with the IB diploma) which means an easier academic load. This year he will be taking an AP online course in psychology and Math Studies, English IV, Italian IV and Biology II.

His ACT composite score was 23, with a 25 in English and Reading, 22 in Science and 21 in Math. He will be taking the ACT again at the end of September. We chose to go with the ACT rather than with the SAT because of the accommodations awarded him. College Board granted time and a half while the ACT granted time and half AND testing over multiple days in his school environment. Clearly a better scenario for him.

His psychological testing describes him as having ADHD and a receptive and expressive language disorder. When researching colleges, I noticed that the schools with structured programs emphasize that their programs are only for students with ADHD and/or language based learning disorders with average or above average intelligence, so he fits the bill. We are considering schools like Adelphi and Curry although he found Adelphi “depressing” when we visited. It is apparently a commuter school which makes for an empty campus on evenings and weekends.
While I feel that these schools are definitely where we should be looking, I am concerned that the social life aspect of the schools would exacerbate the depression that characterizes his Bipolar disorder.

So, in a nutshell, he needs a school that has a campus situation that is vibrant and social (he is very socially adept) but that also offers a structured program for his learning disabilities AND easy access to mental health professionals. He does prefer to be in or near a city such as Boston, New York or Chicago but I realize that we can’t be limited by this. SInce I live in Rome I don’t have the luxury of visiting the campuses while school is in session. With my three older children (Brown, Boston College and Georgia Tech), seeing the campus with students was fundamental in the decision. AGain, the major factors for him would be the social life of the school and structured LD program availability with mental health professionals available.

I would appreciate anyone with experience to share!