should students reveal ADHD diagnosis in the application

frazzled2thecore
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 12:13:55 +0000

OP - I agree that disclosure is best avoided altogether, but probably makes the most sense if there is a “before” and “after.” Btw, did medication trials unexpectedly result in falling grades? Sometimes the “after” is the removal of a medication that has not had the expected result. These medications need to be monitored because sometimes they can come with nasty side effects or have the opposite result to what is intended.

If so, you might want to discuss this with the GC, who could explain this as a medication issue that is not likely to be repeated. (There is a difference between an explanation and an excuse.)

Or, you could discuss this with an ADHD specialist who has likely seen this type of thing before. If it is likely that an adcom will conclude from seeing the transcript that your S does not have the ability or motivation to succeed in college courses, then an explanation backed up by one or more professionals might be in order. This would obviously be far less of an issue at a school that would be a safety with the transcript “as is”, but other schools might be much better fits for your S once the ADHD is addressed.