Brown University

🏫 Disability Services Overview

Brown University's Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides comprehensive disability support at one of the eight Ivy League universities — and Brown's distinctive Open Curriculum makes it a uniquely interesting environment for ADHD students. Brown's SAS has invested meaningfully in ADHD-specific support, recognizing that students who were admitted to an Ivy often have significant ADHD challenges that haven't been addressed with appropriate urgency.

SAS Core Services (Included — No Extra Fee)

• Individualized accommodation planning with a dedicated SAS coordinator
• Extended test time in distraction-reduced environments through SAS's Testing Center
• Note-taking accommodations: audio recording, peer note-takers, assistive technology
• Alternative format materials and assistive technology
• Priority registration
• Faculty accommodation letters via Brown's electronic accommodation management system
• ADHD-specific programming through SAS
• Academic coaching referrals through the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning
• Coordination with CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) for mental health support
• Peer mentoring and disability community programming

Brown's Open Curriculum: A Double-Edged Sword for ADHD

Brown's Open Curriculum — where students design their own academic path with minimal required courses — is famous. For ADHD students, this creates both opportunity and risk. The freedom to pursue genuine interests (which can be a powerful ADHD motivator) is extraordinary. But the lack of enforced structure means students who need external structure to function effectively must build their own — without the guardrails most universities provide. SAS can help, but the Open Curriculum requires genuine self-awareness and planning from ADHD students.

🧠 ADHD-Specific Support

ADHD Programming at SAS

Brown's SAS specifically acknowledges ADHD as a distinct support area and has developed programming accordingly. SAS coordinators with ADHD expertise are available. Brown's student mental health and disability awareness culture is progressive — ADHD is not stigmatized, and seeking support is normalized.

Executive Function Support

• SAS coordinator consultations address planning, organization, and time management in the context of Brown's Open Curriculum
• Sheridan Center academic coaching provides study skills and time management support
• Guidance on building structure in an unstructured curriculum — particularly valuable for ADHD students navigating the Open Curriculum
• ADHD workshops and programming through SAS and Student Wellness

Testing Accommodations

• SAS Testing Center provides extended time and distraction-reduced rooms
• Brown's course culture is increasingly accommodating — many courses offer take-home or open-book options that can reduce the testing accommodation burden
• Online accommodation management for semester-by-semester requests

Mental Health Integration

Brown's CAPS is one of the more progressive counseling centers at an elite university — mental health awareness is genuinely embedded in campus culture. The intersection of ADHD and mental health (particularly anxiety, which is extremely common among ADHD students at high-pressure universities) is something Brown's health team is experienced with.

Medication Management

• Brown Health Services provides comprehensive medical care including psychiatric services for ADHD medication management
• Providence has good healthcare resources; Brown's institutional prestige also attracts strong clinicians
• Telehealth options available for students who prefer to maintain home providers

📋 Documentation & Neuropsychological Evaluation Requirements

Required Documentation

• Comprehensive neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist
• Evaluation must be within 3 years for ADHD (current adult-level functioning required)
• DSM-5 diagnosis clearly stated with full diagnostic criteria documented
• Functional impact on academic performance in a college context
• Recommended accommodations tied to identified deficit areas

Required Evaluation Components

• Cognitive assessment: WAIS-IV or equivalent adult battery with full index scores
• Academic achievement: WIAT-III or WJ-IV Achievement — reading, writing, math
• Attention and executive function: Rating scales (Conners-3, BASC-3, Brown ADD Scales) and/or performance-based measures (CPT, TOVA, D-KEFS)
• Working memory and processing speed: WAIS-IV WMI and PSI
• Diagnostic conclusion: DSM-5 diagnosis with clinical rationale
• Evaluator credentials: Licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist — credentials in report

Physician Letter or IEP?

The full evaluation is required for comprehensive accommodations at Brown. A physician's diagnostic letter may support the claim but will not substitute for a psychoeducational evaluation in Brown's SAS registration process. Contact SAS directly to discuss your specific documentation situation before submitting.

Cost Context

• Private neuropsych evaluation: $2,500–$5,000+ depending on location and evaluator
• Rhode Island school districts provide evaluations under IDEA — request in junior year
• Brown's affiliated hospitals may offer evaluations — inquire through SAS
• RI VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) may fund evaluations for eligible students

🎓 High School → College Transition Preparation

Timeline

• Junior Year: If Brown is a realistic target, get a current, high-quality evaluation done. Research Brown SAS and understand the Open Curriculum's implications for your ADHD specifically. This self-reflection is essential.
• Senior Year: Apply to Brown. Gather complete documentation. Contact SAS after acceptance to begin registration.
• After Acceptance: Register with SAS promptly. Schedule an intake appointment. Attend Brown's orientation programming including any SAS-specific sessions.
• Summer Before College: Confirm accommodations, build awareness of Brown's systems, establish healthcare in Providence. Think carefully about your first-semester course selection — a manageable first semester is critical.

Open Curriculum Planning for ADHD

Brown's Open Curriculum is one of the most liberal academic structures in American higher education. This means you choose almost everything — which courses to take, in what order, at what pace. For ADHD students, this requires explicit planning that other students may not need:

• Select an initial concentration (major) direction early — the freedom to be "undecided" indefinitely can be ADHD's worst enemy at Brown
• Build in "S/NC" (satisfactory/no credit) courses strategically — Brown allows S/NC grading, which can reduce performance anxiety in exploratory courses
• Limit course load intentionally in the first semester — 3-4 courses is often wiser than 5 for ADHD students adjusting to Brown's intensity
• Work with both SAS and your academic advisor on course selection — two different perspectives on manageable vs. challenging

The Ivy League ADHD Context

Like Duke, Brown students with ADHD are typically very capable individuals who have found strategies to succeed in K-12 despite ADHD. The transition to Brown can reveal ADHD challenges in new ways — the unstructured time, the self-directed curriculum, the competitive peer environment. Expect this, plan for it, and use SAS and Brown's support ecosystem proactively from week 1.

Key Transition Skills

• Choosing courses based on genuine interest AND workload fit — both matter
• Building external structure in an unstructured curriculum: study groups, regular advisor meetings, SAS check-ins
• Identifying a therapist and psychiatrist in Providence before arriving
• Using Brown's Sheridan Center coaching alongside SAS accommodations — they complement each other

🎯 Practical Fit Notes

Who Thrives at Brown with SAS?

• High-achieving students with ADHD whose motivation is interest-driven — Brown's Open Curriculum leverages this perfectly when managed well
• Students who are self-aware about their ADHD and will proactively build structure in an unstructured environment
• Students interested in Brown's strengths: computer science, neuroscience, public health, environmental studies, humanities, international relations
• Students who are drawn to Brown's progressive, intellectually free culture and will thrive in a campus that values non-conformity and individual intellectual development

Campus Environment

Brown's College Hill campus in Providence is beautiful — Georgian architecture, walkable, with the energy of a mid-sized creative city below. Providence has transformed into one of the most vibrant small cities in the Northeast: excellent food, arts, music, and a genuine city culture. RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) is adjacent, creating an arts-infused environment. Boston is 45 minutes away for those who want metro access.

Cost Snapshot

• Tuition: approximately $64,000–$67,000/year
• Room and board: approximately $17,000/year
• No additional fee for SAS
• Total COA: approximately $81,000–$84,000/year before aid
• Brown meets 100% of demonstrated financial need — the net price for lower and middle-income families is significantly lower than sticker

❓ Questions to Ask Brown SAS

1. How does SAS specifically support ADHD students navigating Brown's Open Curriculum — are there advisors who specialize in helping ADHD students build appropriate academic structure?
2. How does SAS coordinate with the Sheridan Center for academic coaching — is there a referral process, or do students manage these two offices independently?
3. What ADHD-specific programming does Brown offer through SAS or other departments — workshops, support groups, or peer connections?
4. How does Brown Health Services handle ADHD medication management — are psychiatric appointments available on campus without a long wait?
5. How does SAS handle documentation from students who had 504 plans in high school and never had a full neuropsych evaluation — what's the process?
6. What is the 4-year graduation rate for Brown students registered with SAS?

🔗 Official Resources