CDL's services for ACT and SAT Extended Time Requests

Often students diagnosed with attention and/or learning disorders are allowed extra time to complete college entrance examinations such as the ACT or SAT. While parents often think of the problem as being the student's need for extended time, the problem is actually academic and/or neurological weaknesses that lead to the need for extended time to adequately demonstrate knowledge. The specific guidelines for documentation of "disabilities" for the purpose of receiving time extensions are provided by the various testing agencies on their websites (www.collegeboard.com and www.act.org). An examination of these guidelines will reveal that the documentation is quite extensive and requires a psychoeducational evaluation like those conducted by CDL psychologists. Because this testing usually consists of intelligence and educational testing only, and students are high school age, testing is usually completed in one day. However, it is still necessary for parents, teachers and the student to complete questionnaires and rating scales and submit them prior to testing. Once the evaluation has been completed, the student's parents must submit a copy of the written report to the testing agency along with an application that requests a time extension and information that must be provided by the student's school counselor.

NOTE: If evaluation findings determine that accommodations should be granted, our psychologists will work on your behalf and do all they can, including follow-up correspondence with the ACT/SAT agencies, to help ensure accommodations are granted. However, although our psychologists follow ACT/SAT guidelines for assessment, a recommendation for extended time from CDL does NOT guarantee that the ACT/SAT agency will provide time extensions or any other recommendations.