Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums High School If it's November, it must be college app season

We got a very late start on the college search process as we spent much of junior year dealing with anxiety issues. So while most kids are putting in their applications, we are making the rounds of Camous visits, local info sessions, college fairs, and rep visits at the HS. The essay isn't even written yet. DS will not write about his performance variances from freshman through junior year, and grade recovery this quarter, nor explain that though he dropped a class he was failing, he continued to audit it and make 5 and 4 on the related AP exams before the end of the year; similar cases with classes where he got Cs for the course but 5s on the APs. (AP scores aren't submitted with the application.) and of course the programs he wants to take call for high GPAs. Test-score-optional schools make us worry: his test scores (no prep) are his best indicator!

Besides affecting the classroom performance, the anxiety kept him from engaging in extracurricular activities, competitions, athletics, volunteering at church and in the community, performing, working, let alone leadership in any of those, all the OTHER things schools consider in a candidate. (Knowing participation is beneficial for applications only amped the anxiety.)

But, I am so proud of him this senior year. He is entering an original composition in a state competition, which meant he had to go to a teacher to work with him on it, and he has to submit it for judging! He participates in class. He talks to his teachers when things don't get turned in on time or when he misses a class (not EVERYTHING has changed lol, but he can DEAL with it now.) He asks questions of college reps. He actually gets in the car to go visit schools. He's taking instrumental lessons again to prepare an audition for colleges that offer music scholarships even to non-majors. None of this would have happened the last 2 years.

A good thing that happened as a result of the last couple of years was the assessment process to obtain an IEP. All the testing dispelled some fears and confirmed lots of expectations, and got the student services department more on his side. (I'd love to show the results to the counselor who once said to me "clearly, he's not the smarted kid in the class".)

So, does anyone have tips on managing all the disparities in the college applications, and colleges with supportive environments? Preference for Common App over the school's application? Can you mention AP scores in an essay?

There is a place on the Common App to note AP exams taken and ones you plan to take in May of 12th grade. There is also a space to note the score.

Your son should write about his uneven performance and his great strides this year in the additional information section of the Common App. If he won't, ask his GC to write about it in their recommendation.

I have two in college, but I'm not familiar with colleges with supportive environments. However, there certainly are a number of schools with supportive environments, and I would search such topics on College Confidential. There are plenty of kids like your son on College Confidential (or probably their parents) and they have found colleges that really "get" kids like him. You want a school where he won't be just a number, someplace that is looking out for him and knows when to step in and help him.

It sounds like he has grown a lot in the past year - kids can surprise you. My middle kid is a college freshman, and she never used to speak up when she needed help to sort out a scheduling snafu, never used to follow up on emails and calls (especially when the other person - the paid professional adult - should have been doing that), etc. She has had to do these things the first few months of college - and while she still complains when others mess up or forget stuff - she just takes care of things.

Good luck in the college search.

Most public colleges/universities have academic support centers (pretty much everywhere that takes federal funds, as this is an offshoot of ADA and section 504 disabilities rights legislation). Ask what they typically offer for accommodations, if they'll take psychoeducational evaluations as supplementary application info (e.g., his cognitive and achievement scores), etc.

Great to hear from you Northern Ben. I'm glad things are looking up for your son & he's involved in the college process.

My S17 is deep in the college app process, but it's being held up a bit by the last two intense weeks of marching band. He has 8 schools picked out all large public schools, that involves 5 applications. Got one in last week EA, was supposed to do another by last night & didn't. But it's only EA, and he has another 2 months to submit the regular app. I think the stress got to him. He's been up long hours & there are been 4 huge band things going on the past 6 days.

But back to the question. What to do? Back when my D22 who just graduated college, was applying. (She had an IEP from 2nd grade with LD's) The advice we got was to NOT talk about any of this on most of the application and don't make it part of the main essay. (Common Application essay.) Common Application and many other applications have a space to "tells us something else we need to know." This is where your son should explain his circumstances. Keep it positive, talk more about what he's learned & what he's overcome. My son doesn't want to talk about it & I think for what he's doing that's OK, but my daughter did write a statement to include. In your son's case he really is going to need to explain a few things on his application.

As for 504/IEP's at university. Getting help at college has nothing to do with the application process. S17 had his 504 meeting two weeks ago. They talked with him about getting help at college, and that he should go into the centers and get himself help. (I was very happy they told him, since he wouldn't have listened to me.) The trick here is YOU can't do anything. When he starts registering HE needs to talk to disability services. Bring in his documentation and negotiate appropriate accommodations for himself. Thinks like extra time on tests are very common.

It's also worth it to check out what universities have to offer at Disability Services. They do vary quite a bit from school to school.

Good Luck.