College Student Evaluations in Berkeley, CA
Get the DSS documentation you need to succeed at UC Berkeley or Berkeley City College
College demands are different now.
The study strategies that worked in high school may no longer be enough, and you might be struggling with focus, time management, or academic performance despite your best efforts. If you're a UC Berkeley or Berkeley City College student wondering why college feels overwhelming, you're not alone, and you deserve answers.
At Mind Matters, we specialize in comprehensive evaluations for college students who need documentation for Disabled Student Services (DSS) accommodations. Our Berkeley location on Telegraph Avenue provides convenient access for both UC Berkeley and Berkeley City College students seeking professional assessment services.
Whether you're discovering learning differences for the first time or need updated documentation for existing conditions, our neurodiversity-affirming approach helps you understand your unique learning profile. We see differences in brain styles not as deficits, but as variations that come with distinct strengths and accommodation needs that can help you thrive academically.
Our comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations for college students provide the thorough documentation required by university Disabled Student Services offices.
These evaluations assess cognitive abilities, academic achievement, attention, processing speed, and executive functioning to create a complete picture of your learning profile and accommodation needs.
The evaluation process begins with a detailed intake session where we discuss your academic history, current challenges, and specific concerns. We then conduct standardized testing over multiple sessions, typically completed within two weeks of your initial appointment. Our testing battery includes current measures that meet DSS requirements for documentation recency and comprehensiveness.
Following testing, we provide a detailed report that clearly outlines your cognitive strengths, identifies areas of challenge, and includes specific accommodation recommendations tailored to college-level academic demands. This documentation serves as the foundation for DSS accommodation requests, whether you're seeking extended time on exams, alternative testing environments, note-taking support, or other academic adjustments.
Our post-evaluation support includes consultation on accommodation implementation and advocacy during DSS meetings when needed. We understand the unique pressures of college academics and work to ensure you have the tools and documentation necessary to demonstrate your abilities while managing your learning differences effectively.
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Key Benefits
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University Disabled Student Services offices have specific requirements for accommodation documentation, including recent testing, qualified evaluators, and comprehensive reports. Our evaluations are designed to meet these exact standards, ensuring your documentation will be accepted by UC Berkeley DSS, Berkeley City College Accessibility Services, and other university disability offices.
We stay current with evolving DSS requirements and use assessment tools that provide the detailed information needed for accommodation decisions. Our reports include clear diagnostic information, functional impact descriptions, and specific accommodation recommendations that directly address college-level academic demands.
You won't need to worry about your documentation being rejected or requiring additional testing, we get it right the first time.
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The transition to college independence can be overwhelming, especially when you're managing learning differences or attention challenges without the structure you had in high school. Our evaluations help you understand how your brain works best in the college environment, providing strategies for time management, study techniques, and self-advocacy skills.
We address the unique challenges of college life, from managing multiple deadlines to navigating large lecture halls and maintaining focus during extended study sessions. Our neurodiversity-affirming approach helps you develop confidence in your abilities while recognizing when accommodations can support your academic success.
You'll gain insight into your learning profile that extends beyond just getting accommodations,you'll understand how to optimize your college experience.
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Our Berkeley office at 3120 Telegraph Avenue is strategically located for easy access from both UC Berkeley and Berkeley City College campuses. You won't need to travel across the Bay Area for appointments, we're right in your neighborhood, understanding the specific academic culture and demands of Berkeley-area colleges.
Dr. Rebecca Murray-Metzger brings over 20 years of experience in educational assessment and understands the unique pressures of competitive academic environments like UC Berkeley. Our proximity to campus means we can easily coordinate with your DSS counselors, professors, or academic advisors when needed.
Scheduling is flexible to work around your class schedule and academic commitments, with evening and weekend appointments available during busy periods like finals.
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Traditional academic struggles often mask significant strengths that aren't immediately apparent in standard college coursework. Our comprehensive evaluations identify both your challenges and your cognitive strengths, providing a complete picture of how you learn best.
We assess areas like verbal reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory, and processing speed to understand your unique cognitive profile. This information helps you choose study strategies that align with your strengths while addressing areas of difficulty through accommodations or support strategies.
Many students discover they have superior abilities in areas they never recognized, leading to increased confidence and more effective academic approaches. Understanding your complete profile helps you make informed decisions about coursework, majors, and career paths that leverage your natural abilities.
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Your accommodation needs may change as you progress through college, encounter different types of coursework, or transition to graduate studies. We provide follow-up consultations to address new challenges, help you advocate for additional accommodations, and support you through academic transitions.
Our school meeting advocacy services mean we can attend important DSS meetings or academic conferences to help explain your learning profile and accommodation needs. We also offer specialized feedback sessions to help you better understand and communicate about your learning differences with professors, study groups, or future employers.
This ongoing relationship ensures you have professional support throughout your academic journey, not just a one-time evaluation report.
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College coursework requires different skills than high school, more independent learning, complex analysis, extensive reading, and self-directed study. Our evaluations specifically assess how well you're equipped to handle these increased demands and identify where additional support might be needed.
We examine executive functioning skills like planning, organization, and time management that become crucial in college settings. Our recommendations include both formal accommodations and practical strategies for managing the increased academic independence.
We help you understand how conditions like ADHD, learning differences, or processing challenges might affect you differently in college versus high school. This insight helps you proactively address potential difficulties rather than struggling through trial and error.
Service Categories
Comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluations
Full assessment battery including cognitive testing, academic achievement measures, attention and executive functioning evaluation, and emotional screening. These evaluations provide complete documentation for DSS accommodations and include detailed recommendations for academic success strategies. Testing typically requires 6-8 hours across multiple appointments and includes a comprehensive written report meeting university documentation requirements.
Focused ADHD and Learning Difference Assessments
Targeted evaluations for students with specific concerns about attention, executive functioning, or learning differences like dyslexia or processing disorders. These focused assessments provide efficient documentation for known conditions while ensuring thorough coverage of relevant areas. Ideal for students who need updated documentation or have specific accommodation needs requiring professional verification.
IQ and Cognitive Testing for Academic Programs
Intellectual assessment for students applying to honors programs, graduate school, or specialized academic tracks requiring cognitive evaluation. These assessments provide detailed cognitive profile information that can inform academic planning and accommodation needs. Results help students understand their intellectual strengths and make informed decisions about academic pursuits.
DSS Documentation Review and Consultation
Professional review of existing accommodation documentation to ensure it meets current university requirements or needs updating. These consultations help students understand their evaluation results, develop self-advocacy skills, and navigate the accommodation process effectively. Includes guidance on communicating with DSS counselors and professors about accommodation needs.
Parent Guidance for College Transition Support
Consultation services for parents supporting college-age students through the evaluation process or accommodation implementation. These sessions help families understand the transition from high school special education services to college DSS accommodations, including changes in student privacy rights and self-advocacy expectations. Guidance on supporting independence while ensuring appropriate academic support.
Our Process
1. Schedule Your Initial Consultation
Contact our Berkeley office to discuss your academic concerns and determine the most appropriate evaluation approach. During this initial phone or in-person consultation, we'll review your academic history, current challenges, and DSS documentation requirements. We'll explain the evaluation process, timeline, and answer any questions about accommodations or university policies. This consultation helps us tailor the evaluation to your specific needs and academic goals, ensuring efficient and relevant testing.
2. Complete Comprehensive Testing Sessions
Attend 2-3 testing appointments over a two-week period, with each session lasting 2-3 hours depending on your needs and stamina. Testing includes cognitive assessment, academic achievement measures, attention and executive functioning evaluation, and relevant screening measures. All testing is conducted in a comfortable, supportive environment designed to help you demonstrate your best abilities. We work around your class schedule and academic commitments to minimize disruption to your studies.
3. Review Results and Recommendations
Meet with Dr. Murray-Metzger to review your evaluation results, understand your learning profile, and discuss accommodation recommendations. This feedback session helps you understand both your strengths and challenges, with practical strategies for academic success. You'll receive a comprehensive written report suitable for DSS submission, along with guidance on implementing recommendations and advocating for appropriate accommodations.
4. Implement Accommodations with Ongoing Support
Use your evaluation report to request accommodations through your university's DSS office, with our support available for questions or advocacy needs. We can attend DSS meetings, consult with academic advisors, or provide additional documentation if needed. Our follow-up services ensure your accommodations are working effectively and can be adjusted as your academic needs evolve.
Our Approach
At Mind Matters, we understand that college students face unique challenges that require a specialized approach to psychological evaluation.
Our assessments go beyond identifying deficits to uncover the complete picture of how you learn, process information, and perform academically under the increased demands of college coursework. We recognize that many students arrive at college having successfully compensated for learning differences throughout high school, only to find that previous strategies are insufficient for university-level work.
Our neurodiversity-affirming approach views learning differences and attention variations as natural variations in brain function rather than disorders to be fixed. This perspective helps students develop a positive understanding of their learning profile while identifying specific areas where accommodations can level the academic playing field. We focus on building self-advocacy skills and confidence alongside providing the documentation needed for university support services.
Dr. Rebecca Murray-Metzger brings both clinical expertise and personal understanding to work with college-age students, recognizing the developmental challenges of emerging adulthood combined with academic pressures. Our Berkeley location gives us deep familiarity with the specific academic cultures and accommodation processes at UC Berkeley, Berkeley City College, and other Bay Area institutions, ensuring our recommendations are practically relevant and implementable.
We collaborate closely with students throughout the evaluation process, ensuring they understand their results and can effectively communicate their needs to professors, DSS counselors, and academic advisors. Our goal is not just to provide documentation, but to empower students with self-knowledge and advocacy skills that will serve them throughout their academic and professional careers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mind Matters has served the Berkeley community since our founding, with our Telegraph Avenue location providing convenient access to UC Berkeley and Berkeley City College students. Dr. Rebecca Murray-Metzger specializes in comprehensive evaluations for college-age students, with particular expertise in DSS documentation and academic accommodation planning.
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Most comprehensive evaluations are completed within 2-3 weeks from your initial appointment. We prioritize college student evaluations and can often accommodate urgent timelines for students facing academic deadlines. Once you receive your evaluation report, most DSS offices process accommodation requests within 1-2 weeks, though this varies by institution and time of semester.
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Yes, our evaluations are specifically designed to meet DSS documentation requirements for UC Berkeley, Berkeley City College, and other universities. Dr. Murray-Metzger stays current with evolving documentation standards and uses assessment tools that provide the comprehensive information DSS offices need for accommodation decisions.
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Absolutely. Many students discover they need updated or more comprehensive documentation for college-level accommodations. We can review your previous evaluations and determine what additional testing might be needed to meet current university requirements while building on your existing accommodation history.
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Yes, we offer follow-up consultations, school meeting advocacy, and ongoing support as your academic needs evolve. Many students benefit from periodic check-ins to adjust accommodation strategies or address new challenges as they progress through their academic programs.
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Yes, Dr. MurrayMetzger regularly attends Berkeley High School meetings for students we've evaluated to help explain assessment results and advocate for appropriate accommodations. Her presence ensures that your teen's learning needs are clearly communicated and that school staff understand how to implement accommodations effectively. This professional advocacy often makes the difference between getting accommodations approved and having them implemented successfully in actual classroom settings.
Start Your Berkeley DSS Documentation Today
College accommodations begin with understanding your learning profile