🏫 Disability Services Overview
Mitchell College is a small private college on the Thames River in New London, Connecticut — and its Bentsen Learning Center makes it one of the most distinctively LD-supportive small colleges in New England. Mitchell sits in an interesting middle category: it's not exclusively for LD students like Landmark, but the Bentsen Learning Center is so deeply embedded in Mitchell's identity that nearly a third of the student body actively uses it. At a school of only ~650 students, this means a genuinely LD-aware campus culture.
Bentsen Learning Center Services
- Individualized learning consultations with Bentsen specialists — all students have access
- Extended test time and distraction-reduced testing
- Note-taking support and assistive technology access
- Writing center with LD-informed tutors
- Academic skills coaching: time management, planning, reading strategies, study skills
- Priority registration
- Faculty accommodation letters
- Peer tutoring supervised by Bentsen staff
- Transition support: Bentsen works with students from pre-enrollment through graduation
Thames Academy Program
Mitchell's Thames Academy is a distinctive feature — a structured bridge program for students who want additional foundational academic skills support before fully entering the college curriculum. It allows students with ADHD or LD to build confidence and skills in a highly structured, supported environment before the demands of full college coursework.
💡 Scale matters here: At 650 students, Mitchell is small enough that Bentsen staff know every student personally. Faculty know students by name. There is no chance of falling through the cracks at a school this small — but that intimacy also means there's no anonymity. Students who want to be known do well; students who find close community uncomfortable may find Mitchell intense.
🧠 ADHD-Specific Support
ADHD Coaching
Yes — embedded throughout the Bentsen model. Bentsen specialists work directly on executive function, time management, and ADHD-specific academic strategies. The coaching isn't a separate fee-based add-on — it's woven into what Bentsen does for every student who engages with the center.
Executive Function Support
- Personalized planning system development — working with each student's ADHD profile
- Weekly check-ins for students who need regular accountability touchpoints
- Strategies for managing Mitchell's small-seminar course format (all students are visible to professors)
- Reading and writing strategies for students with attention or processing challenges
- Procrastination and task initiation strategies adapted to individual students
Small Class Advantage
Mitchell's class sizes are genuinely tiny — often 8–15 students. This is not incidentally helpful for ADHD; it's transformative. When professors know your name and notice if you're absent or distracted, the accountability and personal connection change the dynamics of academic engagement. Many ADHD students who struggled in large, anonymous classes discover they engage completely differently in a Mitchell seminar.
Testing & Accommodations
- Bentsen provides testing accommodations in distraction-reduced environments
- Small class sizes mean extended time testing is low-logistical-burden and destigmatized
- Oral assessment options available when appropriate
Medication Management
- Mitchell's health services provides basic medical care with referrals to New London area providers
- New London is a mid-sized city with adequate healthcare resources
- Telehealth options available; many students maintain care with home providers
📋 Documentation & Neuropsychological Evaluation Requirements
⚠️ Bentsen requires documentation of your disability. Connecticut residents: your school district can provide evaluations under IDEA — request an updated evaluation in junior year if your current one is outdated.
Required Documentation
- Psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation by a licensed psychologist or school psychologist
- Evaluation should be within 3 years of enrollment for ADHD and most learning disabilities
- DSM-5 diagnosis clearly stated with diagnostic criteria documented
- Functional impact statement — how the disability affects reading, writing, math, attention, and academic performance
- Recommended accommodations from the evaluating clinician
Required Evaluation Components
- Cognitive assessment: WAIS-IV or equivalent adult battery
- Academic achievement: WIAT-III or WJ-IV Achievement
- Attention/executive function: Rating scales (Conners-3, BASC-3) and/or performance-based attention measures
- Language processing: Phonological processing measures (CTOPP-2) valuable if dyslexia is also a concern
- Diagnostic conclusion: DSM-5 diagnosis with clear supporting evidence
- Evaluator credentials: Licensed psychologist — credentials in report
Doctor's Letter or IEP Alone?
Not sufficient alone for comprehensive Bentsen support. The full evaluation helps Bentsen staff understand your learning profile deeply — which is precisely what enables the individualized support that makes Bentsen distinctive. Submit your IEP as supplemental history; don't rely on it as primary documentation.
Cost & Connecticut Resources
- Private evaluation: $2,500–$4,500
- Connecticut school districts provide evaluations under IDEA
- CT Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) may fund evaluations for eligible students
- Several university training clinics in the CT/RI area offer reduced-cost evaluations
🎓 High School → College Transition Preparation
Timeline
- Junior Year: Research Mitchell and Bentsen seriously — visit campus. Mitchell's admissions team is small and accessible; they genuinely engage with prospective students and families. Confirm documentation currency.
- Senior Year: Apply to Mitchell. The admissions process is holistic and considers the whole student — ADHD history and Bentsen fit are part of the conversation, not a liability.
- After Acceptance: Connect with Bentsen before committing. Submit documentation. Bentsen staff will often meet with prospective students — take advantage of this.
- Summer Before College: Attend any Mitchell orientation programming. Connect with your Bentsen advisor. Establish medication management continuity in New London.
The Mitchell Community
At 650 students, Mitchell is a deeply intimate community. This is unlike any experience on a large campus — you will be known by name by Bentsen staff, faculty, and many peers within your first month. For ADHD students who thrived in small school environments and struggled when school got larger and more anonymous, Mitchell can be transformative. For students who need a big, anonymous social scene, it may feel constraining.
Maritime and Waterfront Environment
Mitchell's Thames River location is genuinely beautiful, and New London's maritime culture — sailing, kayaking, waterfront access — provides excellent physical activity options that support ADHD management. The Connecticut shoreline and the accessibility of Newport, Providence, and Boston add regional richness.
Key Transition Skills
- Showing up — at small seminar classes, professors notice absence immediately. Attendance and participation carry significant weight.
- Speaking in class — Mitchell's seminar format requires verbal engagement. ADHD students who struggle to organize verbal contributions quickly benefit from practicing this skill
- Building relationships with Bentsen advisors proactively — they can't help with what they don't know
🎯 Practical Fit Notes
Who Thrives at Mitchell?
- Students with ADHD or LD who struggled in large, anonymous high schools and want a deeply personal academic community
- Students who engage better in small seminars than large lectures
- Students interested in Mitchell's programs: criminal justice, psychology, sport management, education, communication
- Students who want to be truly known by their professors and support staff — not a number in a large system
- Students who need structured support built into their environment, not just available on request
Campus Environment
Mitchell's waterfront campus on the Thames River is genuinely attractive. New London is a post-industrial city undergoing revitalization — not glamorous, but real. The campus is tiny and walkable. The student community is tight-knit. Coast Guard Academy and Connecticut College are nearby, creating a small multi-college community in the area.
Cost Snapshot
- Tuition: approximately $38,000–$42,000/year
- Room and board: approximately $14,000/year
- Base Bentsen services included; enhanced programming may have additional fees — confirm directly
- Total COA: approximately $52,000–$56,000/year before aid
- Mitchell offers substantial merit aid; many students receive significant institutional scholarships
⚠️ Honest caveat: Mitchell is a very small, less-selective institution. The academic rigor and institutional prestige are lower than most schools on this list. The ADHD support through Bentsen is genuinely excellent and the community is exceptional — but families should evaluate whether Mitchell's academic credentials serve their student's specific career goals. It is an excellent fit for some students and a poor fit for others who need a specific academic credential.
❓ Questions to Ask Mitchell / Bentsen
- What does the Bentsen onboarding process look like — when do students meet with their Bentsen advisor, and what does that first meeting accomplish?
- How often do students with ADHD typically meet with their Bentsen specialist throughout the semester — is there a recommended frequency vs. a student-initiated frequency?
- What is Thames Academy, and how does a family evaluate whether it's the right entry path for their student vs. direct college-level enrollment?
- What is Mitchell's 4-year graduation rate, and how does that compare between Bentsen users and the general student population?
- How does Mitchell handle medication management — is there on-campus psychiatric care, or are students referred off-campus?
- Can we speak with a Bentsen staff member and a current Bentsen student before making an enrollment decision?
🔗 Official Resources
Mitchell College — Bentsen Learning Center
https://www.mitchell.edu/academics/academic-support/bentsen-learning-center
⚠️ Always verify current documentation requirements, Bentsen program structure, and Thames Academy details directly with Mitchell College's Bentsen Learning Center, as policies change. Contact them before making enrollment decisions.
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