Why Boards Are Cracking Down on “Cookie-Cutter” Accommodation Letters and Reports
Updated: Sep 23
Testing boards require objective test data, a documented history, and a clear link between the impairment and timed exam performance. A diagnosis letter alone falls short of that standard. A June 2025 Wall Street Journal article described law-school applicants buying boiler-plate ADHD letters and reports to gain extra test time on the LSAT. Similar exposés in the Chronicle of Higher Education and New York Post show how shortcuts harm students with real disabilities.
What Testing Boards Require in an ADHD Accommodation Report
Objective data: normed tests in at least two domains + effort metrics.
Functional linkage: clear evidence that the impairment impacts timed exams.
Rich History: examples of dysfunction provided by past teachers or relatives, and examples from today.
Reviewer-ready formatting: AAMC/LSAC headings, raw-to-standard score tables, and DSM-5 reasoning.
No promises: the evaluator does not guarantee a diagnosis or a “yes” from the board.
Jason Olin, PhD, follows all five principles in every evaluation, and Pepperdine University's Student Accessibility Office lists this practice among its recommended providers.
What a Lower Evaluation Fee Buys You
A lower fee means a shorter battery. LSAC applies a lighter standard than the AAMC or a state bar. Each agency sets its own currency window for documentation. LSAC and ETS accept five years. The AAMC accepts three. Objective test data is part of the LSAC standard, and an evaluation built to the minimum can clear it while sitting at the edge of what a reviewer accepts.
When a brief report at that edge draws a denial or a partial approval, the fix is a full evaluation. The testing starts from the beginning. The applicant pays both fees, and the registration deadline stays where it was.
For the genuinely undiagnosed reader
If you’ve always felt that timed exams leave you gasping for mental air, but you’ve never had a formal diagnosis, don’t let the current crackdown keep you in the shadows. Comprehensive testing is a data-driven way to pinpoint the specific cognitive or attentional bottlenecks that slow you down. Objective scores, validity checks, and real-world examples give review boards the evidence they need to say “yes.” In other words, the tougher standards protect you because a rock-solid report stands out even more when flimsy ones get tossed.
For the “report-shopping” reader
On the flip side, if you’re tempted to treat accommodations as a strategic advantage you can simply buy, know that reviewers flag reports without effort testing or functional linkage within minutes. Paying top dollar for a two-page “diagnosis” risks a denial and it can also jeopardize future licensure when that shortcut appears in your record. Invest your resources where they count, with objective assessment, evidence-based treatment, and skills that improve performance whether or not you receive extra time.
The documentation standards each agency applies are covered in the guide to testing accommodations for adults with ADHD. If you need accommodations for LSAT, MCAT, or other board exams, schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your options.
Written by Jason Olin, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist. Dr. Olin conducts neuropsychological evaluations for testing accommodations by telehealth across the country, with in-person testing in Newport Beach, California. He sees clients across 43 PSYPACT states and New York.
Comments