Overview
- Recent figures show more than 20% of undergraduates registered as disabled at Brown and Harvard, 34% at Amherst, and 38% at Stanford, with 24% of Stanford students receiving accommodations.
- Experts link the expansion to the 2008 ADA amendments, AHEAD guidance that elevated student self-reports, and DSM‑5 changes that broadened ADHD criteria.
- Extra time on exams is the most common and disputed accommodation, and research indicates it can boost scores for students without disabilities.
- Access is uneven as formal evaluations can cost thousands of dollars, while community and two‑year colleges report stable accommodation rates of about 3–4%.
- Universities describe testing‑center capacity strains and logistical burdens, as faculty raise concerns about potential gaming and advocates maintain that fraud is uncommon and access has improved.