Students with learning disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent profiles navigate unique considerations in the college admissions process. Here is what you need to know.
Disclosure: Your Choice, Your Strategy
Colleges cannot ask about disabilities during the admissions process, and you are never required to disclose. However, you may choose to disclose strategically if your disability contextualizes something in your application — a GPA dip due to an undiagnosed learning disability, standardized test scores that don't reflect your actual ability, or limited extracurricular involvement due to the demands of managing a learning difference. The Additional Information section of the Common App is the appropriate place for a brief, factual explanation if you choose to disclose.
Testing Accommodations: SAT and ACT
Students with documented disabilities can request testing accommodations from College Board (SAT) and ACT, including extended time (time and a half, or double time), separate testing rooms, computer-based testing, large print, and more. Applications must be submitted well in advance — typically 6–8 weeks before your test date — and require documentation from a qualified evaluator. Your school's 504 coordinator or IEP case manager typically initiates the accommodation request. Start this process in 9th or 10th grade to ensure accommodations are in place by junior year testing.
College vs. High School: A Major Transition
The shift from high school to college disability services is one of the most significant changes students with learning differences face. In high school, services are provided under IDEA and the school identifies and implements accommodations. In college, under the ADA and Section 504, the student must: register independently with the campus disability services office, provide updated documentation of their disability, and self-advocate for accommodations in every class. This transition requires preparation and proactive planning.