Short background of my education story:
- I did an undergrad...kinda knew I had ADD, mostly knew I was "wrong" or "different"...didn't do anything about it, had okay to poor marks and graduated with my 4 yr degree in 5 years
- Started a master's in 2003..was great but ADD kicked in...had to take time off..started back up in summer of 2006...
- still not going well so sought out psychologist and psychiatrist in February and am trying out treatment options
- now WAAAY behind on thesis..but...finally got in touch with disability office...

So, my school is in BC but I am an Alberta resident so these are all subject to eligibility...I found out that I can for sure get an extension on my thesis of at least 6 months (whew). Also, I may be eligible for a laptop with speech recognition and reading software, as well as a few cash funding options (that may only cover assessment costs, but hey, that's good enough for me). I'm pretty excited about this as all i need for the extension is a doctor's note but the other stuff needs a full assessment.

I'm basically starting this thread to update myself and others on the "getting accomodations at graduate school" journey and to get other's stories, advice, opinions on getting the accomodations, what those accomodations were, and how much any of those accomodations helped or not. Correctly identify the number of times the word "accomodation" occurs in the last sentence and you win a prize!! (well, not really , but I thought it was funny).

:)

Last summer I was taking Calculus. (I'm an undergrad, so not quite graduate but sort of related).

I met a bunch of people in the class, two of them were brothers who have ADD. Every time we had an exam they would have a private exam room and would get extra time to write. They were getting As. Meanwhile, I was failing the exams, frusterated that it me so long to answer questions I would never finish an exam, and mad at how unprepared I was in the first place. I remember being so angry that I started to like the brothers less and less - why did they get this special treatment?

Fast forward through a disastorous fall semester where I managed snag only half of my credits. After numerous trips through the counselling centre and doctor's office, I'm on AD/HD meds, likely to go through the battery of official tests, and will probably qualify for the same accomodations the brothers got.

I remember thinking "those guys don't need those accomodations any more than the rest of us." I guess I really had a misunderstanding of the whole thing, now that I'm facing the same stuff my perspective on all of the mental "disorders" has changed.

I'm not sure if I'll apply for the accomodations; meds are helping me get back to my pre-issue levels of achievement. Has anyone found that private rooms help them write exams?

And "accomodations" appeared in the sentance four times ;)

All I can say is don't put off asking for accomodations...just imagine how much better you can do with meds AND a private room? And with anything else you can get form your school

I wish I had known about the available resources for my undergrad...it would have been so much different and I may not have closed so many career doors with my poor grades.

p.s. here's your smilie face prize --> :D

University (esp grad skewl) is hard b/c it is a solo journey.

Research, writing, organizing and comps, etc. are work that is lonely and hard.


I know a number of students who give up and leave "ABD". :(

ADHDers seem to thrive on 1:1 support/tutoring/coaching/mentoring - and may need more intensive coaching than other students.

We need structure, and when an environment is terribly *unstructured*, as in reading courses, research or thesis writing, we can really fall apart.

=============

I would super duper recommend a Coach or Tutor or some sort of mentor, for several hours/week.

Special Needs likely pays for it. They will pay up to Thousands for assistance (via BSWD program) here in Ontario. (So to have the Student Disabilities office paying $20-30/hr ($100-150/wk) for a fellow grad student or Coach to help you, is a real possibility.


My own school (Queen's U) was very generous with Bursaries for people with special needs or extra expsnses, too.

One year i was cut off OSAP, and they gave me a $2000 job and $3750 in tuition money, in Bursary.

I am thinking my biggest hurdle will be the "must demonstrate financial need" portion for many of the funding options available. I will still be able to get an extension on my due date and perhaps my assessment paid for though which is good. Oh ya, I forgot to mention I am doing my thesis while working full-time. I think I am a sucker for punishment or something.

Anyway, that means I make enough money to support myself (according to the government). The problem is that I don't qualify for lots of funding because the majority is "financial need"...so I am expected to pay for it all myself...but if I pay for all the testing and treatment needed for me to deal with ADHD I will be broke! So, once I'm living in a cardboard box maybe then the government will help me!

Argh, sorry for the rant...it's just that I have run into this every time I look into loans/grants etc. whether it is disability related or not.

no school - unfulfilling job - can afford to eat, whoopee!
school - maybe fulfilling job/life - no food!
either way I ain't gettin much from the government...at least I get lots of tax back from tuition!

At least my school is being very helpful and nice about it. :)

The CSL for High Need Disabled Students (Federal Gov't) has funding for disabilities. One year i think i got $2000+

Your province likely has funding grants for disabilities via BCSAP. (Ontario's OSAP does, called the Bursary for Students with Disabilities. Will pay up to $5000/yr, iirc.) They paid $1200 for my Testing.

Your school likely has bursaries for students with disabilities. (Depending on how generous your school is with your Bursary application. Most schools have a General Bursary application process, over and above BCSAP/OSAP, etc..) Alternately, you may have to enclose a letter outlining your UNIQUE circumstances & test results/doctor's letter, along with your application.

My own University has given me up to $3750/yr in Bursary funding. (One year when I was failing due to undiagnosed ADHD and lost my OSAP eligibility. It was all the money I had for school. *phew!*)


Your School's Disability Office where you are registered should be able to piece all that together for you. Your Counsellor should know where/how to access all these funding sources!

Ask, ask, ask. And apply apply apply.

If need be, drop to part-time working, temporarily, so you can be eligible for these benefits. To work f/t and spend all your money on testing and accommodations is just pointless. The stress alone will sabotage your thesis.