Learning disability and college...?

Question

I have a form of learning disability called 'dyscalculia'. I never took my SATs because of my low math score. Do colleges look at individual scores in certain subjects? I don't want to be denied a college education because of my learning disability.

Answer 1

Yes, they do. They look at your overall score too, but if you attach a letter explaining your disability, and make clear on your application that you plan on pursuing a non-mathematical major like English or history (which I assume you do, but even if you don't, this would be a good time to lie), it hopefully won't be a problem. Of course, there's no way to know why the reject someone, but if you could somehow prove that you were rejected because of your disability, you could sue them big time. That, combined with their desire to have more disabled people to report in their statistics, means they tend not to reject people who have a deficiency in a certain area due a learning disability if they're strong enough in other areas. Besides, believe me, you want to be at a school that understands your disability and is going to help you with it.

In general, small liberal arts colleges are more likely to understand learning disabilities, and to give individual attention to each application. But at the same time, bigger schools are more likely to take a chance on someone since it hurts them less to have one person drop out (it's all about statistics, and a low drop out rate is something they strive for, so they want to only take people they think will graduate).

Another thing to think about, though, is what it's going to be like when you get there. Check out their disability office, and what resources are available to students with learning disabilities. You'll probably be able to get the accommodations you need wherever you go, but it makes a huge difference if you don't have to threaten to take them to court every time you need extra time on an exam. Even better is if their people can suggest new modifications or accommodations that you might not have even thought of before that will help you out.

Another aspect of that is what aspects of academic achievement the school tends to value. That might not be something you really think much about, but it can actually make a huge difference to your college experience. I've only gone to one college, so all I can really compare to is my high school, but from what I've heard from people at other schools, there are a lot of colleges out there that are a lot like my high school in a lot of ways. My college tends to put a lot more emphasis on understanding concepts, rather than rote memorization. They'll usually give us relevant formulas on science tests, let us bring a "cheat sheet" to math exams, etc., and a lot of profs give open-note exams (I even had a couple of those in biology last year). Of course, there are some things that you just have to know, but they try to keep that to a minimum and explain where things come from as much as possible. Since I'm really bad at memorizing things, that really plays to my strengths. My high school, on the other hand, placed a huge emphasis on rote memorization, and didn't really care very much whether we understood the underlying concepts, just so long as we go the right answer. In high school, I wasn't thought of as a particularly good student, but in college I am. Not because I'm different, or the kids around me here aren't as smart, but because their definition of a "good student" is different. And believe me, I'm a lot happier in college than I was in high school. The point is, try to find a school that plays to your strengths, and will appreciate you for who you are. That's true for anyone, but especially for those of us with a learning disability since we tend not to fit the mold very well, so it's a lot easier to fall outside the bounds of what a school looks for in their students.

Answer 2

Yes, they do look at individual scores, but usually after seeing if the combined scores meet their minimum requirements. The best thing to do is to take the SATs, see your score(s), then take a prep course that deals with the specific areas in which you need to work. They really do help people learn to take the test. They also help to reduce anxiety on that day by boosting confidence. Also, make sure to mention your disability in your entrance essay so that they know the reason behind the score. Colleges look for people who strive to overcome their disabilities, so mention the things that you have done to do that--special courses, remedial work, etc. Best wishes...you need to try or you will never know!

Answer 3

Get a letter from your doctor confirmining your discalcula, and attach it to all your apploications. Better yet, set up an appointment with a senior person at the school and meet tham. Get on friendly terms with them and they can & will help.
Good luck,
Doc Dan.

Answer 4

So you can just not take SAT's now because you can't do math???

Dang, I wish they'd have had that disability around when I was in school.