ADHD Scholarships
ADHD is a Learning Disability: Find Scholarships for LD Students
Medical diagnoses of ADHD have been on the rise in the past twenty years, as more children and adults seem to be afflicted with this disease which causes difficulty in concentrating, problem-solving, and impulse control, among other conditions.
At Duke University, studies have determined that about 5% of children have ADHD, with far more boys being labeled with this condition (the male to female ratio hovers anywhere from 6:1 to 10:1 depending on the source.) However, this ratio might be a bit of a misrepresentation, as boys with ADHD tend to be more boisterous than girls with ADHD; hence, their parents typically look for treatment and diagnosis sooner.
Educational Challenges
ADDitude magazine, devoted to ADHD education and facts, echoes Duke University's findings and suggests that in a classroom of 30 students, roughly 1-3 have ADHD. The publication also states that about a quarter of all ADHD students have great difficulty learning due to problems with listening skills, reading and math comprehension, poor organizational skills and memory, and language deficits.
Because schooling can be tremendously challenging for the ADHD child or adult, dropout rates are high, up to 35% in some areas of the country. This is why it's such an accomplishment when someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD is determined to go to an institute of higher education.
The National Resource Center on AD/HD recommends that those with this condition contact the Student Disability Support Office at any college or university they are considering. The Center also suggests that the student find out:
- If the head of the student disability services has a specialization in working with ADHD;
- If there has been a school wide move to educate the faculty and staff about ADHD;
- If there are other students who have ADHD who attend the college/university;
- If there is any kind of ADHD support group available to undergrads;
- If the campus is generally a welcoming, supportive environment for those afflicted with ADHD.
By establishing that your target institute of higher educations will value you as both a student and an individual with a learning disability, you'll have a better chance at performing at your highest level.
There are few college-level scholarships devoted specifically to those with ADHD. However, it's important to note that because ADHD is recognized as a learning disability, there may be opportunities to obtain college or university underwriting through scholarships open to anyone who is learning disabled.
Bank of America Scholarship
The Bank of America has an Scholarship Program for students with disabilities who are from a number of different states including Georgia, California, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida. Applicants must intend to study business, computer systems, or finance and must have maintained a 3.0 GPA during their high school years.
disABLEDperson, Inc.
The organization called disABLEDperson, Inc., has an annual $750 scholarship competition. In order to be considered, you must have an identified learning disability and write an essay (not longer than 1,000) on a topic which changes each year. Applicants must be enrolled full time at an accredited two or four year university or college in California to try for this funding. They also have to show proof of their learning disability.
National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities offers the annual $10,000 Anne Ford Scholarship to one high school senior who has been diagnosed with an identified learning disability, including ADHD. Monies can be used for undergraduate studies in any field.
