<p>^^^
Appreciated. </p>
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<p>You do if you’re not including your disability as part of your application. Only after you’re admitted can you submit the Special Needs Identification Form to request an accommodation. For most students, it would be beneficial to meet with Jodi Litchfield, Middlebury’s ADA coordinator. Jodi meets regularly with prospective students to discuss their special needs and the services available through the college. </p>
<p>I also discussed this issue with a good friend who is an educator and consultant specializing in students with learning disabilities. He’s a Middlebury alum as well.
He said in most cases he would advise a student to disclose their disability, especially if the standardized test scores aren’t reflective of the student’s ability. Many extremely bright students with a LD do poorly on standardized tests. Nothing new. He additionally commented that some of the best essays he’s read are by students who wrote about their disability. Admittedly, it’s only one individuals opinion, and I’m sure there are legitimate opposing views.</p>
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<p>It’s reasonable to assume that of the ~ 170 enrolled students with a disability–most are an academic disability-- a significant percentage acknowledged their special needs on the application.</p>
<p>I’m also aware of Stanford, Amherst, MIT, Vassar and Smith students/alums who acknowledged their academic disability during the application process.</p>