Grades definitely don’t match ability–there was a late ADHD diagnosis and grades have improved since meds but are still not straight A’s. ECs are average (Theater, creative writing, science journal club, community service). Essays will be great (excellent writer), but teacher recs may not be stellar (lots of stuggles with organizational skills). Wants to study Bio (All A’s in AP Bio, AP Chem and AP physics, and 5s on all those exams). No demographic “hook.”
So where does a kid like this go to college? Where would he get in? Where would he be happy? Would love a smaller school. Suggestions?
Since the ADHD diagnosis is relatively new, and the student still struggles with organizational skills, those should be your focus. Provided money is not a huge issue, you need to worry about fit and about the quality of the support available through the counseling center and disabilities office. So sit down with whoever it is who will be helping to pay for the kid’s education and get a solid budget estimate. Until you know how much money is available, you won’t be able to start looking at options.
My friend’s S has an UW GPA of just under 3 and an ACT of 34 (he also attended a gifted school so the score is not a fluke - he is smart but a bit lazy) - not much in the way of ECs - some garage bands and a part-time job scooping ice cream for the last year. He got into some decent schools and with scholarships too - I don’t know his W GPA but I know he took several advanced classes so I am going to assume it is much higher. Examples of places he got in are Hofstra (with presidential scholarship), University of Kansas, University of Oregon, University of Minnesota - TC, and University of Miami spring semester 2016. He has applied for a study abroad for his first term and plans to attend the University of Miami in the spring.
IMO (as a mom with a smart kid who has some learning disabilities). I would first try to focus on finding the right type of school for him. By that I mean a school where he will get any attention/help he might need and an environment he’d enjoy. We visited some different types of schools before we got a clear focus on what would work best for my child with learning issues. We all quickly agreed that he could get lost in a huge school with huge lecture classes. I thought a LAC would work well, but he felt that they were too small for his tastes (ironically my D is at a LAC and absolutely loves it there). Turned out that for him a mid-sized university worked perfectly for him – the school had small classes so he would not get lost in the crowd and he liked the size of the school. I really think you should start by visiting some options of types of schools (probably focused on small and mid-sized schools) and see what he likes.
Thanks all for the replies! No cost constraints. He would love to find a smal LAC. He wants to major in Bio, but he loves literature, writing, philosophy, psychology, theater as well. So any thoughts about a small LAC that would accept a student like this? I know that IQ plays no role in admissions, but I think it’s relevant does play a role in where he’ll be happy. He wants to be intellectually challenged and he’d like smart peers…
I know a brilliant kid with some LD issues, interested in philosophy, who’s very happy at Earlham.
Go through the list of “Colleges That Change Lives” schools and see if any appeal to you or your son. In particular, take a close, hard look at their student support services for ADHD etc etc. Do they pay lip service, or do they really offer support? How many people are on their staff? What services do they offer? What’s their web page look like–is it current or not?
I’d look carefully at Franklin and Marshall in PA and Union in NY - both are excellent LACs that seem to match his states and both schools are particularly strong in the sciences. Muhlenberg in PA is another option. A bit of a stretch with the GPA might be Lafayette, Trinity or Bucknell but they may give some leeway given the late discovery of his ADHD. Other options could be Connecticut College or Skidmore if he visits and feels the sciences are strong enough there - I can’t opine either way since I didn’t visit those schools.
I second (third) “Colleges that change lives” and among those, Whitman and St Olaf would probably match him best - challenging,strong in the sciences, good atmosphere and environment, smart students.
Look into Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Marist
If he writes great essays, and likes to write essays - then he might consider Bard’s alternative admissions route (Entrance Exam) which ignores grades and scores altogether: http://www.bard.edu/bardexam/
“The Bard Entrance Examination offers a new way to apply to Bard that bypasses existing standardized tests and admission processes, leveling the playing field among applicants worldwide. The examination enables motivated students to gain admission through an essay test, engaging applicants in a process that more closely mirrors actual college coursework. The examination is composed of essay questions in three categories: Social Science, History, and Philosophy; Arts and Literature; and Science and Mathematics. Applicants are required to complete four of 21 questions with 2,500-word essays.”
I just saw that one of the essays can be a musical composition. (My son would have loved that one!)
More info:
"Candidates must write four essays, choosing from 21 questions. The questions are organized into three categories. One question must be answered from each category. The fourth essay may be from any of the three, thereby repeating a category. The suggested length for each of the four essays is 2,500 words, with the exception of the mathematics questions (C1 and C3) and the question that asks for a musical composition (B2).
“All the information needed to answer the questions is on the examination platform. However, you are not limited to these sources. If you use other materials, they must be properly cited. Remember that this is not a test of what you already know; rather it is an opportunity to demonstrate close reading, critical thinking, and the ability to interpret problems. It is an effort to connect testing to learning.”
The nice thing about this method of application is that it is a reflection of the actual experience of being a student at Bard College.