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Bogus ADHD diagnoses for private school students is giving them extra time to take standardized tests and their scores are surging.
To get extra time, the SAT and ACT’s administrators require that students provide documentation of a disability from a mental health professional.
Such a letter translates into a 200-point boost to an SAT score on tests reintroduced by elite Ivy League colleges, according to one expert.
In addition to ADHD, anxiety and depression can also qualify students for more test-taking time.
However, a ten-year-old study finds that extended testing time or frequent breaks doesn't help teen test-takers perform better.