Landmark College

🏫 Disability Services Overview

Landmark College is in a category entirely its own. It is the only regionally accredited four-year college in the United States that was designed from the ground up — not adapted, not retrofitted — specifically and exclusively for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other learning differences. Every single student here has a diagnosis. Every class, every instructor, every support system is purpose-built for neurodivergent learners.

What's Included (Standard — No Extra Fees)

• Individual academic coaching sessions embedded in the curriculum — not optional add-ons
• Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) — peer-led study groups built into course schedules
• Executive function instruction woven into coursework
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) applied across all classes — all professors are trained in LD pedagogy
• Full-service testing center with distraction-reduced rooms as the default
• Assistive technology lab: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Kurzweil 3000, Read&Write, SmartPens
• Writing center, math center, tutoring — all staffed by LD-trained specialists
• Comprehensive orientation and transition program for incoming students
• Weekly check-ins with assigned academic advisor in the first year

Staff & Ratio

With approximately 500 students and a 6:1 student-faculty ratio, Landmark's support intensity is unmatched anywhere in American higher education. Many full-time faculty hold dual credentials in both their academic subject and special education or learning disability research.

🧠 ADHD-Specific Support

Dedicated ADHD Coaching

Yes — comprehensive and central to the experience. Every student works with an academic coach on executive function, time management, task initiation, and self-regulation. This isn't an opt-in service — it's embedded in the Landmark model. Coaches hold credentials in LD/ADHD coaching and work with students weekly, sometimes multiple times per week in the first year.

Executive Function & Time Management

• Students learn personal organization systems (time-blocking, task decomposition, priority matrices)
• Explicit instruction in study skills and metacognition — not assumed knowledge
• Courses in "Strategies for Academic Success" that teach the HOW of learning, not just the what
• Calendar and planning systems taught as real skills, with coach accountability

Note-Taking, Testing & Classroom Accommodations

• Extended time is standard for all students who need it — no stigma
• Distraction-reduced testing environments available by default
• Smart pens and audio recording for lectures
• Professors routinely provide slides, outlines, and reading guides in advance
• Small class sizes (typically 8–15 students) reduce overwhelm inherently

Medication Management & Mental Health

• Health center on campus with nurse practitioner; can coordinate with student's psychiatrist for medication management
• Counseling services with therapists experienced in ADHD and LD
• Referrals to local psychiatric providers in Brattleboro, VT area for medication prescribing
• Strong awareness of co-occurring anxiety and depression, which commonly accompany ADHD

Peer Support & Community

• The entire campus is an ADHD/LD peer community — this is the most significant social benefit
• Students report feeling "normal" for the first time, surrounded by peers who share similar experiences
• Structured peer mentoring in residence halls
• Student organizations including ADHD advocacy groups

📋 Documentation & Neuropsychological Evaluation Requirements

What Documentation Is Required

• A comprehensive psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation conducted by a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, or educational psychologist
• Documentation of a specific learning disability, ADHD, or related condition meeting DSM-5 criteria
• Evaluation must be recent — Landmark prefers evaluations within the last 3 years for college-age students
• For students 18 or older, the evaluation must assess adult-level functioning (not just a pediatric LD eval)

What the Evaluation Must Include

• Cognitive/IQ testing: WAIS-IV (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) or equivalent standardized measure of cognitive ability
• Academic achievement testing: WIAT-III, WJ-IV, or equivalent — measuring reading, writing, and math performance
• Attention and executive function measures: Rating scales (BASC-3, Conners-3, Brown ADD Scales) plus continuous performance tests where indicated
• DSM-5 diagnosis: Clear diagnostic conclusion with DSM-5 code(s), severity, and functional impact statement
• Clinician signature and credentials: Must be signed by the licensed evaluator with license number and date
• Recommended accommodations: The evaluator should recommend specific academic accommodations tied to the identified deficits

Is a Doctor's Letter or Pediatrician Note Sufficient?

No. A letter from a pediatrician, family physician, or psychiatrist stating "this student has ADHD and needs accommodations" is not sufficient documentation on its own. It may supplement a full neuropsych eval, but cannot replace it. The school needs data — actual test scores, percentile rankings, and a professional interpretation of those results.

Does a High School IEP or 504 Plan Work?

Generally no, not on its own. An IEP or 504 plan documents the accommodations provided in K-12 — it doesn't provide the underlying psychoeducational data Landmark needs to calibrate your college-level support. However, an IEP that includes a recent psychoeducational evaluation as an attachment may meet the requirement if that evaluation is current. Bring the IEP for context; don't rely on it alone.

Cost Context

• Private neuropsychological evaluations typically cost $2,000–$4,000, sometimes more in high-cost urban areas
• School districts are required to provide free evaluations through IDEA — if you haven't had one in the last 3 years, request a re-evaluation from your high school district before senior year
• Some university training clinics offer evaluations at reduced cost ($500–$1,200)
• Some insurance plans cover neuropsych evals when ordered by a physician — check your coverage

🎓 High School → College Transition Preparation

Timeline: When to Start

For a school like Landmark — where the admissions process itself involves disclosure and documentation review — families should begin planning in sophomore or junior year of high school.

• Sophomore Year: Research Landmark and similar specialized programs. Understand what documentation will be needed. Begin exploring whether a current neuropsych eval exists and whether it's up to date.
• Junior Year: Schedule the neuropsychological evaluation if the current one is more than 2 years old. Attend a Landmark information session or campus visit if possible. Begin the executive function skills work that will serve you in college.
• Senior Year (Fall): Complete the application. Ensure all documentation is submitted. Connect with Landmark's admissions staff — they're unusually accessible and happy to discuss fit.
• Senior Year (Spring) / Summer Before College: Complete Landmark's pre-enrollment transition program. Submit any additional documentation. Contact your assigned academic advisor before classes begin.

The Self-Advocacy Shift

Even at Landmark, there's a crucial mindset shift from high school: in K-12, parents and school staff often coordinate accommodations for you. At Landmark, you work directly with your coach and advisors — though the environment is far more structured and supportive than a typical college disability office. Start practicing direct communication: emailing professors, asking for help proactively, naming your needs out loud.

Documentation Checklist for Senior Year

• ✅ Comprehensive neuropsych or psychoeducational evaluation (within 3 years of college entry)
• ✅ IEP or 504 plan from high school (for context, not as primary documentation)
• ✅ Any existing psychiatric records or medication management notes
• ✅ Letters from high school learning specialists or counselors (supplemental)

Summer Before Freshman Year

• Attend Landmark's Summer Transition Program if offered — it's designed to ease the adjustment and let you practice college-level work in a supported setting
• Set up your medication management plan — know who will prescribe and monitor your ADHD medication in Vermont
• Build routines before you arrive: sleep schedule, morning routine, weekly planning ritual
• Have an honest conversation with your family about what "independence" looks like and what check-ins will feel supportive vs. intrusive

Executive Function Skills to Develop in High School

• Weekly planning using a physical or digital calendar — actually reviewing it, not just filling it in
• Breaking multi-week assignments into daily tasks with specific deadlines
• Learning your own focus rhythms (when are you sharpest? for how long?)
• Practicing task initiation strategies when you feel stuck (body doubling, Pomodoro, environment change)
• Building the habit of reviewing the day's tasks each morning and evening

Building a Support Team Before You Leave Home

• Establish care with a psychiatrist or APRN who can manage ADHD medication via telehealth if needed
• If you see a therapist, discuss strategies for adjusting to college before you go
• Talk to your high school learning specialist about what's worked and what hasn't — document those strategies
• Build awareness of what your personal early warning signs of overwhelm look like, and what to do about them

🎯 Practical Fit Notes

Who Thrives at Landmark?

• Students with significant learning disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, or ASD who have struggled in traditional academic settings despite being intelligent and motivated
• Students who need structure built into their environment — not just available on request
• Students who have felt "othered" in mainstream schools and want to be surrounded by peers who truly understand
• Students who benefit from small class sizes, frequent instructor contact, and explicit academic skills instruction
• Students whose families can manage the significant cost or who qualify for financial aid

Campus Environment

Putney is a very small, rural Vermont town. The campus is intimate — roughly 500 students — which is both a strength (everyone knows you) and a limitation (less diversity of programming, activities, and social scenes than a larger campus). Students who thrive tend to appreciate the close-knit community. Students who crave urban energy or a large social scene may feel constrained.

Cost Snapshot

• Tuition: approximately $62,000–$65,000/year (2025–2026)
• Room and board adds another $15,000–$18,000
• Total cost of attendance: approximately $80,000/year before aid
• Landmark offers institutional aid and participates in federal financial aid programs
• Many students use Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) funding through their state — Landmark has experience working with VR offices

Transfer & 2+2 Path

Many students use Landmark as a 2-year launchpad — building their academic foundation, executive function skills, and confidence — then transfer to a four-year college with their skills in place. Landmark's transfer counseling supports this path. Others complete their bachelor's degree at Landmark.

❓ Questions to Ask Landmark

1. Can I meet with an academic coach before committing to Landmark, or speak with a current student about what coaching sessions actually look like?
2. What is the typical student-to-coach ratio, and how often do first-year students meet with their coach in the fall semester?
3. How does Landmark help students plan for what comes after — either transfer or career? What's the alumni success rate?
4. My child has ADHD and anxiety — how does the counseling center support co-occurring mental health conditions alongside academic support?
5. What does medication management look like logistically? Is there a prescribing provider on campus, or do students coordinate with their home providers via telehealth?
6. What is the process if my documentation doesn't meet requirements? Can we work with Landmark to get an updated evaluation before enrollment?

🔗 Official Resources