American Bar Association

Recent pieces in the media, including The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic, have reported on the dramatic rise in disability accommodations at elite colleges—with much of the increase tied to conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression and extended time on exams as the most common accommodation. Some elite colleges report that roughly a quarter to over a third of students are registered with disability services. In legal education, available data and institutional estimates suggest that approximately one in five students receive accommodations, most commonly extra time on exams.

These pieces also highlight concerns raised by some commentators about access to accommodations, institutional incentives, and the evolving definition of disability, as well as debates over the high rates of accommodations, time limits, and fairness in assessment. However, a closer look suggests that commentators may be asking the wrong questions.