Most of us jump in to a conclusion that when a person has learning disabilities, he or she will have a particularly difficult time getting admitted to any college. David Montesano, however, insists that we are all clouded by the wrong assumption.

Montesano, a college admission strategist, said that based on years of experience in College Match Educational Consultants students who have learning disabilities actually have high chances of admission in colleges.

Montesano said that colleges want diversity; and a learning disability is some sort of diversity. Also, colleges are often lenient with an applicant’s test scores and grades if presented with an evidence of learning disabilities. Learning disabilities will push colleges to be more considerate of class rankings, low grades, and standardized test scores.

As an example, Montesano said that students with learning disabilities who get a GPA of 3.4 can compete with normal students with a GPA of 3.7; the same way that colleges are more impressed with applicants who have learning disabilities with a GPA of 3.4 than a normal applicant with the same grades.

Instead of hiding learning disabilities in college applications, Montesano said it should be highlighted. Aside from proving that you indeed have learning disabilities by showing medical records and reports, you should also point out that impact of your disabilities to your grades.

Before you do that, however, Montesano said that it is best to verify if your college of choice is open to diversity. You cannot directly ask a college about this as they will definitely deny that they judge students based on such medical conditions; instead, ask around campus or look it up online.

Maryanne Godbolo’s frustration over her daughter’s physical impairment led to a 12-hour standoff when police officers came to take her daughter away. She also lashed out on what Godbolo considers to be inappropriate state interference on her child’s medical care.

When the 12-hour standoff ended, Godbolo was in handcuffs and her child was placed in a children’s psychiatric hospital.

Godbolo is in a battle with the Department of Human Services of Michigan over her right as a mother to determine whether or not her daughter should continue receiving an anti-psychotic drug called Risperdal. The agency insists that it is one of the government’s responsibilities to protect children’s welfare even if it is against their parents.

Godbolo refuses to trust doctors as she blames them for some of her child’s medical problems. She says that some of her daughter’s illnesses could be due to physician negligence and possible complications from childhood immunizations. She, however, did not name her daughter’s doctors and did not provide the press a copy of her daughter’s medical records.

Godbolo insists that her daughter responds better to treatments that do not include the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal. On the other hand, the state firmly stands by its belief that without the ideal medical attention and treatment, Ariana (Godbolo’s daughter) is at risk.

Ariana stayed in a psychiatric facility for a month following her mother’s confrontation with the police and is now currently staying with her aunt, Godbolo’s sister.