Services 
Learning Disabilities Screenings
One of the many clinical services we provide at the Counseling Center is learning disability screenings.
Students may experience difficulties in learning, e.g., retention of information, problems taking certain types of exams, being easily distracted, or generally feeling overwhelmed regardless of how much time is spent studying. Often these problems can be explained by overload of course work, by interference by other problems and stressors, or even "a slump", but sometimes the question of a learning disability may come up. There may have been a history of previous "coding" (a designation made in most public schools to indicate a need for extra assistance from a specialist, or in order to obtain extra resources, as in a resource room or one-on-one tutoring), or another family member may have been learning disabled. Many serious "LD" problems are discovered and help is provided in earlier grades, but sometimes individuals learn to compensate; they "get by" and are not noticed as having problems. When those individuals find themselves confronted by the volume and depth of college level work they often become overwhelmed, discouraged and frustrated. Though they work very hard, their grades don't reflect that effort. They may observe that others around them study less but have better results.
Students who come to the Counseling Center may be self-referred or come because others have encouraged them to do so. An intake is an opportunity for students to get information and ask questions. The information gathered during the intake may indicate that testing for a learning disability would be a good idea. The next step could be one of the following:
- Scheduled for testing or placed on our wait list for testing at the Counseling Center (see below for types of tests we administer)
- Referred to someone outside the Counseling Center who could better meet the needs of the individual.
Our resources are limited in the extent and type of testing we do. We do not do screenings or testing for a diagnosis for ADD/ADHD, and we do not do neurological testing. We do only a few evaluations per academic year so there is often a lengthy wait list. However, we emphasize that an intake can be a good place to seek information and learn what options are available.
If you are to be tested at the Counseling Center you will be asked to provide any information you might have from previous testing or evaluations, and possibly grades or samples of your work. Because we work closely with other offices on campus who are also involved in providing services to students with learning problems, we encourage you to sign releases of information giving us permission to talk with those offices so that we can provide you with adequate follow-up services to testing. Because of the high demand for screenings and our lengthy waiting list, we have a cancellation/no show policy. If you cancel your screening without giving us 48 hours advance notice or do not show up for your appointment, you will be placed at the end of the current list.
For more information on learning disabilities check out National Center of Learning Disabilities, Inc.