To Tell or Not to Tell ...
by Dr. Liz, January 10, 2022
Having a hidden disability like ADHD allows you to decide if, when, and how to disclose it to people. It is a very personal decision. Some college students choose not to disclose, for various reasons. Some consider college a fresh start, a new school where you can create a new persona. They don’t want to stand out from classmates. Others incorrectly believe that going to college means they have outgrown their ADHD and they will no longer need help to succeed academically. While disclosing your ADHD is not required by colleges, it is necessary if you want to request and receive accommodations.
Transitioning to College
The transition from secondary to postsecondary schools can be overwhelming for any student. There is more
freedom, less structure, and lots of free time. Classes will probably be larger than you are used to, some
with hundreds of students if you go to a large university. Courses may be in different buildings or on
different campuses requiring time management skills to walk long distances between buildings or to grab a
shuttle bus to make it to the next class on time. Some classes will be heavily lecture-based, requiring high
levels of attention, critical thinking, and lots of note taking. Good grades become critical to maintain
scholarships, remain playing varsity sports, and staying off academic probation. These factors can cause
extra issues for students with ADHD and/or learning disabilities (LD), especially those used to a team of
professionals working with them on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that guarantees success.
No IDEA
In elementary and secondary schools, students are legally protected by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) which ensures that students succeed academically. Schools must provide special
education, academic accommodations, and any other modifications necessary. Teachers are required to read
and comply with IEPs. Once students go to college, they are no longer children covered by IDEA, but instead
are adults protected by anti-discrimination laws.
The two laws that govern reasonable accommodations in higher education are the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Both are civil rights laws that protect
people with disabilities from discrimination. The laws state that reasonable accommodations must be provided
unless they fundamentally alter the nature of a course. Colleges are not required to provide “attendants,
individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a
personal nature” (Leuchovius, 2015). All students are expected to complete the same work. To receive
accommodations in college, students must self-advocate.
Disclosing Your ADHD/LD
If you needed academic help in high school, you will probably also need it in college. To receive accommodations, college students must disclose their disabilities, prove they qualify for accommodations, request those accommodations, and inform their professors. It is up to you to self-advocate, ask for the help you need, and stand up for yourself if you do not get it. It all starts in the school’s disability services office.
Disclosing to the Disability Services Office
All colleges have a Disability Services Office (DSO), though it may be called something else (Accessibility
Office, Disability Support Office, Student Success Office, etc.). They will also have web pages with lots of
helpful information. The staff in these offices help empower students to ask for and receive the help they
need. They will tell you what specific documentation is needed and may help you arrange for new testing if
necessary. Be prepared to discuss what accommodations have helped you in the past. Most schools require that
you meet with DSO staff every semester, since your accommodations may or may not be necessary in a particular
course. They will create forms outlining your accommodations to give to your professors. Some schools
automatically give the forms to your professors, but many require that you do it yourself. The forms DO NOT
disclose your disabilities, they just tell the professor what accommodations are required.
Disclosing to Professors
You may choose to do nothing but hand the form to your professor after class and walk away. You do not need
to explain anything. The professor is required to comply with the accommodations listed. Or you can talk to
the professor if you are comfortable with discussing what help you need. Sometimes you will need to notify
the professor that you will be using a particular accommodation - like extra time on exams - a certain amount
of time in advance. Make sure you put reminders on your phone or calendar to request things in advance! If
your professor tries to discourage you from using your accommodations (e.g. “Oh, you won’t need extra time
on my quizzes”, Sorry, I don’t allow audio recordings of class”) or fails to provide your accommodations,
you can talk to them or go back and talk to someone in the DSO. Accommodations are your civil right. Stand
up for yourself and get what you need to succeed.
Disclosing to Peers
No one in your classes will know you are on an accommodation plan unless you tell them. Your professors are required to keep your information confidential. You decide whether or not to disclose to your classmates. If you are working on a group project, and you think your disabilities will get in the way, or your accommodations will get noticed by your peers, you may want to have a conversation with them.
Disclosing on College Applications
You do not have to disclose to colleges, and they cannot ask applicants about their disabilities. It is
illegal for high school transcripts to state whether a student was on an IEP or Section 504 plan unless
the student had a modified curriculum (Hamblet, n.d.). So again, it is up to the student whether or not to
disclose their hidden disability in the application process. Patricia Quinn, M.D., a developmental
pediatrician, suggests that students write about their disabilities in their college essays and meet with
DSO staff as part of the application process (Quinn, 2017). There are pros and cons to disclosure as part of
the application process. On the plus side, it can help a potential school understand you and how you learn,
as well as to explain issues with grades or standardized test scores. On the minus side, someone reviewing
applications may have a negative or uninformed view of people with learning or attention differences and
their ability to succeed in higher education (Jacobson, 2015). Remember, you can ask as many questions as
you want about potential services and support at a school. That is not disclosing anything.
Better Safe Than Sorry
Even if you are approved for accommodations, you may choose not to use them, or only use them occasionally or in certain courses. But it is better to get approved just in case. Many students who think they won’t need accommodations in college, and do not apply for them, change their minds after earning the first failing quiz or test grade. You can always seek help from the DSO, though it may be too late in the semester to get accommodated. Not getting accommodations that you are entitled to, and need, puts you at a disadvantage compared to your peers, and your grades and college experiences can quickly suffer. Self-advocate from the start and get yourself on a level playing field!
Sources:
Hamblet, E. (n.d.). Myths About College Admissions and Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD. Retrieved from LD Advisory: https://ldadvisory.com/
Jacobson, R. (2015). ADHD and College: The Pros and Cons of Disclosing Learning and Attention Differences. Retrieved from The JED Foundation: https://jedfoundation.org/set-to-go/adhd-and-college-the-pros-and-cons-of-disclosing-learning-and-attention-differences/
McCarron, E. (2020). Post-Secondary Faculty and Willingness to Provide Academic Accommodations for Students with LD. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (JPED), 339-352.
Quinn, P. (2017, September 26). Disclose His ADHD: Yes or No? Retrieved from ADDitude Magazine: https://www.additudemag.com/disclose-his-adhd-yes-or-no/
Images:
Students walking up stairs to college building: Photo by George Pak from Pexels
Disability Resource Center: https://disability.tamu.edu/ssboverview/
Student and professor:
https://collegetidbits.com/4-keys-to-talking-with-your-college-professor/
College application:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2021/11/29/early-indicators-suggest-applications-to-college-are-bouncing-back/?sh=62a1a1537089
Specific questions and topic suggestions can be emailed to questions@ADHDinCollege.com.