Sorry for the long title, but hope someone can help me with an answer. I was admitted to Law School in 2007 prior to being diagnosed with ADD in Feb. 2010. Midway through the first semester of my 1L year, I began dealing with a protracted traumatic family event which continued until Feb. 28, 2008. My first semester GPA was just under 2.0 and my second semester was a 1.60. The college and its law school had agreed on a policy of going strait from academic warning to SAP dismissal, absent any continued warning period. They say in order to avoid the appearance of overburdening a student with debt who wouldn't likely graduate. I appealed the dismissal, and then recieved that I had been denied financial aid for Fall 2008, though I had already been dismissed.

I sought psychological counseling in August of 2008 and was diagnosed with Major Depression-Single Episode. I didn't pursue academic reinstatement, as I am also a recovering alcoholic and felt it would be contrary to my sobriety. I "recovered" from the depression and was enjoying some quality recovery until spring of 2009 when I began to have increasing moments of anxiety which eventually led to debilitting panic attacks. I immediately sought professional counseling once again with a different specialist for the anxiety and panic. After about six sessions, my counselor asked if I had ever been diagnosed with ADD. "Ha, no way." I said having grown up with an ADHD cousin who also had ODD an was a real mess socially and academically. I couldn't be ADD...but after some diagnostic tests, and reading 'Delivered From Distraction", the haphazard history of my life started making sense, along with how depression likely effected my law grades.

Currently I have been accepted in a different graduate program, but at the same school. I applied for Stafford loans and was awarded over $20k. But the college's Financial Aid Office denied my elegibility based on my Fall 2008 SAP denial from four years ago. I appealed indicating the aforementioned circumstances of depression, ADD diagnosis, therapy and continued work with counselors along with med management to ensure continued good mental health, and therefore should have no grade issues. As an undergrad, I had 151 hrs with a dual degree in Psychology and Pre-Art Therapy. And, FinAid had that transcript, in addition to the Graduate program to which I am already accepted. My appeal was denied, even in light of their having knowledge of my diagnosis of Major Depression-Single Episode, ADD and GAD. They are justifying the denial simply based on my fall 2008 classification. I feel that according to 504, Title 34 ss. 104.44 and a few other Federal Statures that I am being discriminated against as the latest denial has pevented me access to federal financial aid by a recipient institution who has been informed of three qualified mental health issues. Am I correct in this perspective? If so, where do I turn for help if my final appeal the the Executive Director of Enrollment Management is denied?

Thanks to anyone who took time to read this protracted post!

Alan

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