Frequently Asked Questions

WILL MY CHILD AUTOMATICALLY GET ACCOMMODATIONS LIKE EXTRA TEST TIME IF THEY ARE ASSESSED?

Not automatically. Academic accommodations are granted to those who meet criteria as defined by the American Disabilities Act (ADA; https://www.ada.gov/). To meet criteria for test accommodations, you or your child must be diagnosable with conditions such as ADHD, learning disorders, or other conditions that disrupt activities of daily living. If our testing confirms that you or your child meet criteria for certain diagnoses, and if you or your child meet other specifications, then you or your child may qualify for an accommodations request.

CAN AN ASSESSMENT GET BAD GRADES REMOVED FROM MY COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT?

Maybe. Sometimes psychoeducational assessments can diagnose cognitive and emotional conditions that may have affected you or your child’s performance during past semesters. If explained correctly in a testing report, most colleges and universities have provisions for expunging poor grades and even entire semesters if they can be convinced that extenuating circumstances led to academic performance deficits. Each of our lead clinicians have a PhD in psychology; thus, they are trusted and respected by collegiate faculty and administrators.

IF MY CHILD HAS A DIAGNOSIS WILL YOU RECOMMEND TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS?

Maybe. It depends on what you or your child’s specific diagnosis and whether you or your child meet other criteria, such as a documentable history of the disorder. We will only recommend and request accommodations for clients who we have concluded meet the standard set forth in the ADA. We only submit accommodations requests for people who we believe will be approved for accommodations. We strive for a 100% success rate when asking school districts, 504 coordinators, standardized tests (e.g. ACT, SAT, GRE), colleges, graduate programs, and licensing boards to grant a client academic accommodations.

IF YOU REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS WILL MY CHILD ALWAYS RECEIVE THEM?

Not necessarily. Though we strive for 100% success, at times, the individuals who review testing reports (such as a medical school’s disability services office) may disagree that a client meets the ADA’s strict criteria. If this is the case, we will file an appeal letter that disputes the denial.

CAN AN ASSESSMENT REALLY LEAD TO IMPROVED PERFORMANCE?

Absolutely! We can use your child’s test data to illuminate their unique learning fingerprint. Are they an auditory or visual learner? What is their optimal study environment? What are adjustments that can be made to learning materials to help them improve academic speed and retention of information? These are a few of the countless questions that are answered by our psychoeducational profiles.

MY KID WAS TESTED EARLIER IN LIFE, WHY WOULDN’T I GO BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

Our psychoeducational assessments are designed to help students across the lifespan. Dr. Gibbs has over 20 years’ experience working with school systems, 504 coordinators, colleges, graduate programs, and test companies, and our clinical and administrative staff can help a family wade through the complicated process of acquiring deserved accommodations. Though there are many psychologists who conduct assessments, there are very few who possess our degree of experience with collegiate disability services. Even if a psychologist tests you and makes an accurate diagnosis, a poorly formatted or incomplete report can lead to a denial of services.

IF MY CHILD CAN’T GET ACCOMMODATIONS, THEN WHY WOULD I PAY FOR PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING?

As outlined in our website, there are many ways our testing can help your student. You may think they need extra time but could simply be using the wrong study strategy; thus, we can outline a strategy that boosts their academic performance. We can also identify mild deficits (e.g. in reading comprehension) that may not meet the criteria for diagnosis, but nonetheless reduce academic performance. In these cases, we can outline treatment and learning plans that can remediate these weaknesses and increase performance. In many cases, we can provide “application enhancement letters” that explain the reasons behind poor grades or a low score on an entrance exam. We have written thousands of these letters for students applying to private schools, colleges, and graduate exams and have a proven track record of helping admission.

DOES MY CHILD NEED A NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST TO CONDUCT MY TESTING OR A “NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL” EVALUATION TO DIAGNOSE THINGS LIKE LEARNING DISORDERS AND ADHD?

No. A licensed psychologist who has been trained to administer and interpret psychoeducational assessments can diagnose clinical disorders such as ADHD and provide treatment recommendations. Neuropsychologists or “neuropsych” testing should be sought when presenting problems are associated with neurological conditions such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or head injuries, for instance.

WE GO BEYOND

THE TESTING REPORT

We go beyond the testing report. We will actively help you complete forms, submit paperwork, and speak with administrators to ensure that deserved accommodations are granted.