Exam Success Evaluation and Accommodations
Helping You Overcome Barriers and Reach Your True Potential
Every student and professional deserves the opportunity to show what they know without anxiety, focus challenges, or learning differences standing in the way. At Charison Counseling, we help you gain clarity, confidence, and fair access to the accommodations you need for success on high-stakes exams such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, and professional licensing exams.
Our Exam Success Evaluations go beyond paperwork and test scores. They are an empowering process of understanding how you learn, process, and perform under pressure. We combine empathy with clinical precision to uncover the root of your challenges, whether it’s ADHD, learning differences, or test-taking anxiety, and guide you toward lasting confidence.
Why Exam Success Evaluations Matter
For many bright, motivated students and professionals, test day doesn’t reflect what they truly know. You study hard, understand the material, yet something happens. Your mind goes blank, your heart races, or your focus drifts.
Maybe it’s test anxiety, attention difficulties, or processing speed issues. Whatever the reason, it can feel discouraging, even defeating. But here’s the truth: these challenges don’t define your potential. They simply mean your brain works differently under pressure and that’s something we can evaluate and support.
At Charison Counseling, we believe that accommodations aren’t advantages, they’re equalizers. They ensure that your exam results reflect your true understanding, not your stress level.
Through compassionate, thorough psychological and educational testing, we identify what’s getting in the way of your best performance and provide evidence-based documentation for the accommodations you may need to succeed.
Who Can Benefit from an Exam Success Evaluation?
You might consider an evaluation if you are:
- A high school student preparing for college entrance exams like the SAT or ACT
- A college or graduate student facing exams such as the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT
- A professional preparing for licensure or board exams
- Someone who has always performed below their academic potential on timed tests
- Experiencing test-taking anxiety, difficulty focusing, or slow processing speed
- Struggling with reading comprehension, writing fluency, or attention under pressure
- Previously received academic accommodations and need updated documentation
Whether you’ve been diagnosed before or are just beginning to wonder if something more is happening, we meet you with understanding, not judgment.
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Common Signs You May Need Accommodations
Many people don’t realize how common and treatable these challenges are. You may benefit from an evaluation if you:
- Know the material well but consistently underperform on timed exams
- Experience severe anxiety, panic, or mental blocks during testing
- Need extra time to read or organize thoughts
- Lose points due to careless errors caused by rushing or distraction
- Feel physical symptoms during tests like heart racing, shaking, or nausea
- Have teachers or professors who’ve noted your work doesn’t reflect your ability
You’re not alone in this and you don’t have to keep struggling in silence.
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What’s Included in an Exam Success Evaluation
Every assessment is carefully designed to capture a full picture of your cognitive, academic, and emotional functioning.
1. Initial Meeting
We begin with a compassionate Initial Meeting where we take time to understand your background, struggles, and goals. Whether you’ve noticed challenges with focus, anxiety, or information processing, this step ensures your evaluation is tailored to your unique story.
2. Record Review and Collateral Input
We gather information such as past report cards, standardized test scores, and teacher or mentor feedback. If applicable, we can also communicate with your school or university to gain a holistic understanding of your academic experience.
3. Cognitive and Academic Testing
Using gold-standard, evidence-based tools, we assess:
- Cognitive functioning and problem-solving
- Processing speed and working memory
- Reading, writing, and math fluency
- Attention and executive functioning
- Organizational and time management skills
These results reveal how your brain processes and recalls information vital for identifying ADHD, learning differences, or processing issues that impact performance.
4. Emotional and Behavioral Assessment
Since test anxiety can significantly interfere with concentration, we evaluate emotional and behavioral patterns such as:
- Performance anxiety and perfectionism
- Self-esteem and academic confidence
- Emotional regulation under stress
- Coping strategies and resilience
5. Feedback and Supportive Discussion
Once testing is complete, we sit down to discuss your results in clear, compassionate language. You’ll understand why you’ve been struggling and how to move forward.
6. Comprehensive Documentation
You’ll receive a thorough, evidence-based report suitable for submission to organizations such as:
- College Board (SAT, PSAT, AP)
- ACT
- ETS (GRE, Praxis)
- GMAC (GMAT)
- LSAC (LSAT)
- AAMC (MCAT)
- State and professional licensing boards
The report outlines diagnostic impressions, recommended accommodations, and individualized strategies for success.
Common Accommodations Students and Professionals Receive
Depending on your evaluation results and testing agency requirements, accommodations may include:
- Extended time (50–100%)
- Testing in a reduced-distraction environment
- Extra or flexible breaks
- Permission to type written responses
- Use of assistive technology (text-to-speech or speech-to-text software)
- Large-print or paper-based exams
- Permission to use items that reduce anxiety (e.g., noise-canceling headphones)
These are not shortcuts they are tools that help you demonstrate your true potential.
Our Approach: Compassion, Clarity, and Empowerment
At Charison Counseling, we believe every evaluation is a chance to understand, not to label. We listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and create a safe space for you or your child to feel seen and heard.
We know how overwhelming the process can feel, especially when the stakes are high. That’s why we guide you through every step, from testing to documentation to navigating the accommodation request process, with care, warmth, and transparency.
Our mission is simple: to help you access the support you need to thrive.
In-Person and Online Evaluations
We proudly serve clients in-person in Newport Beach and Orange County, and online throughout California.
Our virtual assessments are secure, reliable, and meet all professional and ethical standards providing flexibility for students and professionals across the state.
Take the First Step Toward Confidence and Fair Opportunity
You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Don’t let anxiety or learning challenges block your next step.
An Exam Success Evaluation can help you understand your strengths, identify what’s standing in your way, and open doors to accommodations that make testing fair and accessible.
At Charison Counseling, we’re here to help you move from uncertainty to confidence one step at a time.
✨ You deserve the chance to show your full potential. Let’s make sure your exam conditions reflect your capabilities, not your stress.
📍 Serving Newport Beach, Orange County, and all of California (online)
📅 Schedule your Initial Meeting today and start your journey toward clarity, fairness, and success.