As students transition to middle school, high school or college, they can hit a wall. Suddenly, there’s a drop in grades. They avoid homework, start acting out, isolate and have frequent meltdowns. Parents can be left wondering what happened to their good kid and high-performing student.
If this sounds familiar, you should know that these changes in behavior could be a sign of an underlying neurological or neurodevelopmental issue. Collegiate Coaching Services provides individualized psychoeducational assessments for teen and adult students, ages twelve and up, to help identify these issues and provide an actionable plan to move forward with confidence. A comprehensive assessment can provide clarity and help you better understand:
- Attention and Focus Difficulties (ADHD)
- Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Auditory Processing)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social Communication Differences (SCD)
- Academic Underperformance
- Digital Media Overuse
- Emerging Mental Health Concerns
Navigating School Accommodations
In order to receive accommodations in most academic settings, students are required to get a formal diagnostic assessment versus simply getting a diagnosis from their psychiatrist or therapist. At Collegiate Coaching Services we specialize in the formal assessment of neurodevelopmental diagnoses, mental health issues and learning challenges. Our assessments require about 5-6 hours of face-to-face evaluation and are conducted by Dr. Nicole Hipp at our offices in Boulder, Colorado. We are conveniently located at 3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 210 in Boulder for assessment administration. Feedback meetings may be scheduled virtually.
Learn what happens at a typical assessment.
"Sudden drop in grades" | School Transition Evaluations Ages 12 to Adult
A sudden drop in grades after a school transition can be a sign of an underlying executive function, learning, or neurodevelopmental issue. So can nightly homework battles whether the student is a child battling with parents or an adult battling with themself. Graduating to a new level of schooling can unmask issues that have been there all along. With more responsibilities and less supports, students find they can no longer pull off the academic performance they once did.
A comprehensive, doctor-led psychoeducational assessment can clarify not only why these changes are occurring, but what to do next.
Updating 504 or IEP Documentation for SAT or ACT Accommodations
Collegiate Coaching Services provides support for the transition to college with individualized psychoeducational assessments. While Colorado law has simplified college entry, the requirements for SAT and ACT accommodations are still rigorous. Our assessment process ensures your student’s IEP or 508 documentation is current, compliant, and effective for the next chapter of their educational career. If you need to update documentation in time for college admissions testing, we offer convenient scheduling and quick turnarounds.
- No Waiting – Appointments available within 7 days of contacting us.
- Fast Results – Get answers in weeks, not m0nths.
- Weekend Appointments – Designed for your busy schedule.
"Bright, But Struggling" | ADHD & Executive Function Testing
Not turning in homework, avoiding complex projects, or procrastinating and struggling with time management can all be signs of an underlying executive function issue. Students displaying these and other issues, like trouble focusing, forgetfulness, impulsive decision making and difficulty finishing tasks, should consider getting an ADHD assessment. A comprehensive assessment can help to determine the underlying cause of ADHD-like challenges so that appropriate treatment can be recommended and pursued.
ADHD-like symptoms can also come from anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, trauma history, substance use, learning disabilities or other medical issues.
"Falling Behind"| Learning Disability Assessments (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia)
A student who struggles to keep up with their peers in reading, is unable to write out answers they know, or gets confused working with math or numbers could have a learning disability. Learning disabilities, or specific learning disorders (SLD), can begin showing up in elementary school, but sometimes don’t cause a significant problem until students transition to a more demanding academic setting. Learning disabilities affect how a person processes, stores, retrieves and/or expresses information and are not the same as low intelligence or poor effort. Collegiate Coaching Services provides assessment services for the following specific learning challenges:
- Dyslexia – difficulty with reading, decoding words, spelling, reading fluency
- Dysgraphia – difficulty with writing, spelling, handwriting, organizing written expression
- Dyscalculia – difficulty with math concepts, calculation, number sense
- Auditory Processing Learning Difficulties – challenges processing spoken information
"Socially Overwhelmed or Feeling 'Different'" | Autism Spectrum Evaluations
Students who are socially overwhelmed and feeling “different” after repeatedly being misunderstood, rejected or bullied by peers could be on the autism spectrum. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental diagnosis that describes challenges with new social situations and relationships as well as sensory difficulties, rigidity, restricted interests and repetitive patterns of behavior. Signs of autism can become more evident during the transition to middle school, high school or college. During these transitions, everything from schedules to academic requirements and social interactions become more complex and demanding. Those on the autism spectrum will find it extremely challenging to adapt to these new changes. Receiving a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis can be a huge relief to students and their families as it allows them to finally receive appropriate treatment and accommodations.
"Escaping into Screens & Video Games" | Digital Media Overuse
Conflict over video games or phone time and using screens to escape stress and anxiety are classic signs of digital media overuse (DMO). Most people who use the internet fall into the category of overuse, but college-age adults and teens are most vulnerable to developing digital media addiction. Both DMO and addiction interfere with academic success, lead to sleep problems, increase social isolation, and negatively affect physical and mental health. Several diagnoses, including some listed on this page, can help contribute to DMO. ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, history of trauma, and obsessive-compulsive disorders are all risk factors.
If you or your student are concerned about how digital media use is affecting your academic and personal life, a comprehensive assessment can help determine the best course of treatment. Collegiate Coaching Services specializes in digital media overuse assessments and can support you in developing and implementing a digital media use success plan.
What Happens During a Typical Assessment?
A typical psychoeducational assessment at Collegiate Coaching Services consists of the following.
- A thorough parent or family interview spanning birth and family history, medical history, functioning, mood, and educational and occupational history.
- A review of records such as IEPs, previous evaluations, medical records, etc.
- Interviews with other service providers like educators, therapists, psychiatrists, and tutors.
- Psychologist-led clinical observations.
- A battery of standardized tests including cognitive strengths and weaknesses, academic performance and direct assessments of attention and executive functioning skills.
- Questionnaires and ratings scales completed by the patient, parents and other people close to the patient such as spouses, partners, roommates, etc.
At Collegiate Coaching Services, psychoeducational assessments typically require 5-6 hours of face-to-face evaluation with Dr. Nicole Hipp. These meetings can be completed in one day in the office or broken up over two separate days.
We are conveniently located at 3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 210 in Boulder for assessment administration. Feedback meetings may be scheduled virtually.
What You'll Gain
- Clarity on mental health issues and diagnoses.
- Clear, evidence-based diagnoses (if applicable) - Clear diagnoses better inform mental health, academic and occupational attainment by giving us guidelines for evidence-based treatments.
- Guidance on core learning strategies and areas of improvement for your individual case.
- School accommodations (IEP/504 support)
- Study strategies and executive functioning
- Daily functioning and long-term success
- Workplace adjustments (if applicable)
Contact us to discuss a psychoeducational assessment for you or your child at Collegiate Coaching Services.
Collegiate Coaching Services
3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 210
Boulder, Colorado 80301
Call: 303.635.6753
Email: info@collegiatecoachingservices.com
Ideal Times for Students to Get a Psychoeducational Assessment
Summer Months
For students, the summer months are ideal to make sure they are prepared and set up for success prior to the school year beginning. This also enables students to complete assessment administration during a time when they have less on their schedule.
For College Prep
If a high school student has not been diagnosed within the last 3-5 years prior to taking a college admissions test, they might need to update their 503 or IEP documentation in order to access accommodations while taking the SAT or ACT.
For College Students
If a college student has not been diagnosed within the last 3-4 years prior to college enrollment, they will likely need an updated assessment to access accommodations at college/university.
Winter & Spring Break
For students who were not assessed prior to the school year and are noticing significant challenges academically, winter or spring break can be an ideal time to undergo an assessment.
About Dr. Nicole Hipp
Dr. Nicole Hipp is a licensed psychologist in Colorado with over 15 years of experience in assessment and diagnosis. Dr. Hipp’s primary training occurred in educational settings, hospital-based settings and inpatient settings. She specializes in helping individuals and families understand complex learning and developmental profiles with clarity and compassion.
Access
We are conveniently located at 3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 210 in Boulder for assessment administration. Feedback meetings may be scheduled virtually.
Collegiate Coaching Services
3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 210
Boulder, Colorado 80301
Call: 303.635.6753
Email: info@collegiatecoachingservices.com
