Over spring vacation, my son and I visited Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Lynn has a reputation for offering solid LD support, and a couple of Churchill alumni attend this school. In addition to general accommodations, such as extended time, peer tutors and easily accessible professors, students at Lynn can take advantage of a special LD program, Institute for Achievement and Learning, which offers individualized support including coaching in organizational skills, study skills and time management, counseling and expert tutoring. This tailored-made program costs $5,875 per semester for new students and $4,225 per semester for returning students on top of $43,500 (2012/2013) annually for tuition, room, board and fees.
Lynn did a terrific job organizing our visit. We were greeted by an MBA student from London - 23% of Lynn's 2,000+ students are international students.Then we had lunch with a professor and two students from the major my son is interested in, followed by a tour by a student in my son's prospective field. Classes are small and interactive. Popular sports are tennis, soccer and golf. Many students have cars on campus and there are shuttle buses to Ocean beaches and shopping. Our tour ended at the admissions office where we met with an admissions officer familiar with Churchill School.
However impressive the support program seemed and how pleasant we found the campus, its location, and everyone we interacted with, I was concerned about Lynn's low freshmen retention rate (62 %). When asked, our tour guide explained that located five minutes from sandy beaches in sunny Florida, Lynn attracts some young people with other priorities than studying. Freshmen being disappointed in the academic rigor and Lynn's tough anti drugs and alcohol policy contribute to the large drop between freshman and sophomore year, she said. I buy that explanation - apart from the classrooms, Lynn felt more like a resort than a higher learning facility.
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