Clinical Interview
Our clinical interviews are always conducted by the psychologist in charge of your assessment process. This interview is designed to efficiently gather your presenting concerns and historical information. Common topics include current problems, symptom and medical history, previous treatments, your academic record, and brief discussions about important life topics such as family, friends, and your early childhood. Though this interview covers many topic areas, our psychologists will put you at ease and the conversation often results in a positive mindset.
Assessment
The assessment is conducted in a relaxing environment with a psychometrician (a professional who is trained to administer standardized tests). The evaluation process involves taking a series of “tests" that are designed to measure verbal skills (e.g. vocabulary), non-verbal skills (e.g. visuo-spatial skills), auditory and visual attention, and academic skill sets in reading, math, and written language. Also, depending on the type of assessment you choose, you will take tests that profile your emotions and attitudes. Don’t be intimidated, most of the “tests” are often described as feeling like short cognitive games. The individual subtests are brief and the entire assessment, which can span 4 to 6 hours, will usually seem to pass quickly.
Feedback
Approximately one week after your testing session you will receive written and, in some cases, verbal feedback from the psychologist in charge of your assessment. This feedback will provide an explanation concerning your presenting problems, the reasoning underlying any diagnoses that were made, and an explanation for our treatment recommendations that were made. In addition to this personalized feedback, you will receive a full clinical report that can be given to providers, college disability offices, licensing boards, and test companies (e.g. those that administer the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, PCAT, and DAT).
Treatment Plan
The treatment plan outlined in your comprehensive assessment report will include specific guidelines for optimal learning, suggestions for treating cognitive and emotional issues (e.g. pharmaceutical treatment, academic counseling, psychotherapy), recommendations pertaining to college disability services, and recommendations for academic accommodations on entrance exams like the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and GMAT. If you have upgraded to a career guidance package, you will have additional suggestions concerning your choice of major, strategic academic plan, and optimal career path.
Post-assessment consulting
We cannot underestimate the importance of this final assessment phase. Many psychoeducational reports have numerous recommendations. Your journey with CheckIt does not end with a simple list of recommendations, however. After you are provided your feedback, our administrative consultants will be available to help locate recommended providers, find tutors and test prep programs, and answer questions regarding the complicated college disability process. This includes making sure you have necessary forms, that the forms are completed correctly, and that they are submitted by important deadlines.