[w00dyallen]

I’ve been diagnosed with ADD since high-school, and would qualify under the Americans With Disabilities Act to have the length of time I have to take the test extended.

However, when I looked over the paperwork my doctor and I were required to submit, I was intimidated and decided against going that route.

THEN, I took the REG portion of the CPA exam and ran out of time during the sims. It made me think that maybe I should look into taking advantage of the ADA. But at the same time, it’s been 11 years since I was diagnosed and I’ve switched doctor’s several times (college, moving, etc) and I don’t know if I can get all the copies of the information they need. (Also, I don’t think I took any standardized-test to diagnose it, it was just a few interviews with a psychiatrist).

So has anyone else gone through the paperwork to get any special accommodations?? And if so, did it even help??

[Anonymous]

I looked into it also as I was diagnosed with a eye disorder somewhat like macular degeneration and need to use larger text sizes to see well on a PC screen. But like you the paperwork and the time it would take to get approved and have the test center get the required equipment just didn't seem worth it.

[Last_First_MI]

I am not trying to be a troll, and I am by no means discrediting your disease or diagnosis, but sounds to me like you are using a disease you had in the past that really doesn't affect you anymore for personal gain to get extra time on an exam that lots of people run out of time on. Its been 11 years and you haven't seen a Dr. for treatment or anything sounds to me like you are cured and shouldn't even bother.

[Vince]

Call CPA Examination Services and follow through to ADA, you will speak with Adam Herjeczki. He is very helpful and will let you know exactly what you need. If you have had a physiological examination before, just get your current doctor to write a letter for an update which includes their qualifications. He also said it needed my history and that since I have the old copies, the specialist can look at them and rewrite them to current. This saved me about a good 500 bucks and time.

FAR (Feb. '10) - 83
REG (Apr. '10) - 88
BEC (May '10) - 79
AUD (Aug '10) - 80

[jeff]

Most people run out of time with REG…it's a hellish exam time-wise.

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[w00dyallen]

@ Last_First

U mad, bro?

But anyways, I need to see my doc once every three months for my Rx (it's a law you need to have an appt. with your doctor every so often when he's writing a script for a controlled substance), so this is an on-going thing.

But like dhuffman pointed out, I think they make it difficult just so people don't exploit it. I probably won't go through with it, but I wanted to know if anyone else was successful in applying for it.

[Herbieherb]

See how u did on reg. If fail,I would go thru with it to help. But if u pass I think it would delay the 18 month rule.

NEW YORK- DONE

[Last_First_MI]

I am sorry just wasn't clear in your post all I read was that it has been 11 years, so I made an assumption I am sorry. And no I am not mad it just seems if this is really something that affects you and it is really causing issues on the exam then you would take the time necessary to get it filed and get the right things done with the AICPA/NASBA so that you can get the accommodations that you need. There is a reason they make it hard to get these accommodations to stop people from trying to fake things and get an edge over other people, no I am not accusing you of this. So sorry if I am coming at you hard or that it may seem that I am skeptical but that is just the way I think. Like I said if this is really causing issues then time shouldn't have anything to do with it you would get the stuff done and get it so you can pass this exam. So your attitude to me seems that you are fine and are trying to get an edge over everyone because you are saying, who cares its TOO HARD AND TIME CONSUMING so I'll just do without I WILL BE FINE. That right there tells me the story that this really isn't affecting you all that much. As I stated before you are not the only that has trouble with time on REG.

The ADA is there to protect people with disabilities and it is very necessary to have these laws but a disability shouldn't be able to be pick and choose when and where you are disabled. You are either disabled or not period. So take the time to prove you are disabled and quit deciding whether or not you are going to try to use this to your advantage or not. The laws are there to protect and even the playing field for people that are disabled not to let people decide when and where they are going to claim this disability to gain an advantage.

If you have to ask this question on a forum then in my book you aren't disabled. If you were you would just get it done and who cares about the time it takes

[IwannaBaCPA]

WOW! People are being kind of nasty in regards to this question and they really shouldn't be…There is a certain stigma attached to being “disabled” and ADD is one of the most misunderstood disorders. It is NOT something you can be “cured” of…

I think that you have every RIGHT to request an time extension and if you felt you needed it, then go for it! People don't get a lot of breaks in life and so I say take advantage of any that you can. Even if medication (or whatever) is helping you, you should still go through with the request for more time. The exam already has a huge time pressure, so getting a little relief from that should help you. Good luck!

BEC: 79 - April 2011
FAR: 78 - May 2011
AUD: 81 - May 2012
REG: 79 - October 2012
Ethics: Passed - March 2013
I am finally DONE!

[Anonymous]

Well in the other thread, he said he felt quite good about the MCQ's and the sims weren't “hard” as much as he ran out of time, a very average problem for most average people. The fact that he felt comfortable with the material, would lead a reasonable person to conclude that his attention wasn't deficient during the test, or the months leading up to the test studying a review course which can be quite boring.

However, that being said, I'm the kind of person that is more annoyed at the niches that are available, I am not annoyed by a person who sees a niche and takes it. It's completely different. so if one can benefit from a niche, then more power to you!

It would be one thing if most or all people did/do not run out of time on REG, then I would be like, “ohh, wow, you ran out of time? that doesnt really happen, it must be your ADD…”

but instead, running out of time, might be more common than not….

[Herbieherb]

AND “Normal” people take ADD meds to get higher test scores.

NEW YORK- DONE

[w00dyallen]

Whoa whoa whoa…..

Drust, Last_First…. you guys need to get off your ‘jump to conclusions mat.' You really have no idea what you're talking about. I've been on this forum for maybe a month and I can't believe how you're talking.

I mean, you are trying to become a CPA?? AND you're the type of person to get some bogus thought in your head and just run with it without knowing any of the circumstances?? Well congrats, gentlemen. I'm sure you will make fine accountants someday.

And Drust, don't include phrases such as “…would lead a reasonable person to conclude…”. Because (and correct me if I'm wrong here) a “reasonable person” wouldn't make an ass out of himself by presupposing to know all the facts.

https://29.media.tumblr.com/aeapb27nkoh3ome8Nj2BqPx6o1_500.jpg

^^Link related… it's what Drust and Last_First need to get off of…

[Anonymous]

well i ran out of time on Feb 28, perhaps i should see my doc for ADD. you obviously do not need extra time. how much time were you given extra for college exams? you do not mention ever using this act before, except when you run out of time on an exam that more than half of people, without ADD mind you, run out of time.

if you want to take advantage of the extra time you would be awarded, by all means, i believe i made that clear in my post that that was my position on the issue, (2nd paragraph), but I would say pretending that you were detriment-ed on the exam because of ADD, and not just normal time constraints that every other person on this forum complain about it, c'mon. but, i may be wrong. i dont know you. perhaps the extra time awarded in this act is crucial, as you probably used it on sat's, college exams, etc…? but, alas i jump to conclusions..

btw, to me the major defense by you says to me that deep down, you even know its unneeded…

[tulip]

This sounds contrary to conventional wisdom, but you may want to skip your meds the day of the exam. Many ADD/ADHD people can hyperfocus when the pressure is on.

BEC - 10/18/2010 - 79
FAR - 10/28/2010 - 82
AUD - 11/04/2010 - 73; 02/18/2011 - 86 - IT'S OVER!!!!!!
REG - 11/21/2010 - 83

[jdiiorio]

I was diagnosed with ADHD during College. It hadn't been an issue in high school. However, in college with the change in study style I started noticing a difference so I went to talk to the psychiatrists there. Like someone mentioned above there is a stigma about ADHD and ADD not being something real. At first I refused to believe this was affecting me and I totally blamed myself saying I just had to put more effort, work harder etc. Eventually by talking to several ppl who had been in the ADHD/ADD program and had been using the extra exam times or some got to test in an empty room to avoid distractions. I decided to give it a try.

I tried it with a couple of classes and to be honest it made a great difference. My grades went up significantly. To say I never thought I'd graduate with an A in an accounting class and I did. THe way it works is hard for ppl without ADHD to understand. Knowing I had some extra time allowed my mind to slow down and think through questions. Previously I would be so accelerated that I would simply circle the wrong MCQ answer but had the right answer to the side or miss questions on a page because I didn't see them. I dunno it helped a lot in college senior yr when I took my entire acct. course load and I was super overloading to graduate with 150.

That being said. I didn't do it for the CPA exam for two reasons. I do not have the money to pay for the physiological exam and it would have been a hassle. So far even when I ran out of time I passed both FAR and BEC. And audit i finished with a lot of time so I don't think it'd be fair for me to ask for it for REG. The big difference between this exam and college for me is the fact that I only have this to worry and the fact that in my head having 3-4 hours is a lot a lot of time. Especially bc since I get tired of focusing through the entire time I have been able to teach myself to use the breaks as my day dreaming time. You can't take breaks during college exams.

So that's my opinion if you truly think u need it go through the trouble it can make all the difference. It did for me. And don't listen to ppl who tell u ur making excuses bc they don't understand what it's like, because their brains/minds function completely different.

ILLINOIS CANDIDATE
FAR - Passed
BEC - Passed
AUD - Passed

[Last_First_MI]

I am not trying for a CPA I am a CPA and I make a very good accountant. In a cushy job with an O&G company making more than I could ever imagine in the public arena and working normal hours. For the record I as diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid and they tried to force that crap down my throat to make me a zombie just because I was a kid with energy. I am just making an observation about you and your circumstance because it seems that since you ran out of time you are trying to play the ADD card on an exam that lots of people run out of time on. Like Durst said more power to you but doesn't stop me from voicing my opinion on what this looks like at face value. Running out of time shouldn't be your motive as this happens all the time in REG your motive should be that you coudln't focus and it cost you lots of time because of your disease. When I took REG I had a guy next to me that chewed his fingernails and you could hear him spitting them as he chewed them and it drove me nuts so maybe I should get some extra time for that.

Saying things like “THEN, I took the REG portion of the CPA exam and ran out of time during the sims. It made me think that maybe I should look into taking advantage of the ADA” and “However, when I looked over the paperwork my doctor and I were required to submit, I was intimidated and decided against going that route” and “But at the same time, it's been 11 years since I was diagnosed and I've switched doctor's several times (college, moving, etc) and I don't know if I can get all the copies of the information”

These statements do not help yoru cause at all. They are medical records they are easy to access and they have to keep the copies of them and you are entitled to them as you please so do the footwork get it done.

[Author]

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