40% of Stanford undergraduates get disability accommodations—but it’s become a campus-wide trend as Gen Z strive to succeed in the current environment

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The pandemic has permanently disrupted college life: Since then, and have transformed classroom expectations, and the standard for has become unreasonably high. Many are now questioning whether obtaining a degree was even

The ripple effect of those stresses is already evident in campus accessibility offices, where diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, and depression are rising, and so are requests for extra time on coursework.

At Harvard, 21% of undergraduates received disability accommodations last year, an increase of more than 15% over the past decade, according to data published by the National Center for Education Statistics analyzed by the . Top schools like Brown, Cornell, and Yale reported similar figures, roughly in line with national trends. But the increase is more significant at other institutions: 34% of students at Amherst College and 38% at Stanford are registered as disabled, according to .

In the 2011 – 12 school year, the number of undergraduates with a disability was about 11%, based on —highlighting just how much of a dramatic change this phenomenon has become.

One founder says students are attempting to gain an advantage in today’s competitive job market

Experts note that many students have medical conditions that deserve accommodations, and the increase is partly related to greater access to mental – health care and less stigma around seeking support.

Nonetheless, the rise has drawn national attention, with some critics contending that students are misusing the system to obtain lighter workloads or an edge in highly competitive classrooms.

Derek Thompson, author of the recent bestseller Abundance, called the numbers “mind – boggling,” arguing that colleges may be overcompensating after years of underrecognizing disability.

“America used to stigmatize disability too harshly,” he.

“Now elite institutions reward it too generously. It simply doesn’t make sense to have a policy that declares half of the students at Stanford cognitively disabled and in need of accommodations.”

, a billionaire venture capitalist and Palantir cofounder, expressed similar concerns, suggesting some families are seeking diagnosis just to give students “an advantage.”

After all, the post – graduation job search has tightened into a numbers game few can win.

In 2023 and 2024, more than 1.2 million applications just under 17,000 open graduate roles in the U.K., as reported by the Institute of Student Employers. And in the U.S., lawmakers warn the funnel is narrowing further. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D – Va.) has among recent graduates could reach 25% in the next two to three years, as AI reshapes entry – level work.

But in reality, there is no evidence of widespread abuse, and not all students registered with a disability receive accommodation in every class. Still, the scale of requests has raised questions among some faculty members about how accommodations intersect with academic expectations.

Faculty struggle with balancing support for students and avoiding stigma

For instructors, the increase in accommodations can be difficult to handle. Many say they want to support students with legitimate needs but worry that asking for clarification could be seen as insensitive or ableist.

One adjunct professor, posting to, said the number of students with accommodations has “grown exponentially” across the three schools where they teach.

“I had an increasingly large number of students at this particular school being given the accommodation to turn work in 48 hours late, and I got tired of constantly having to extend due dates just for them,” the professor wrote, noting that they themselves have ADHD and autism.

‘The students I’ve had on this accommodation would use it pretty much every week since they were always behind.”

Harry Lewis, former dean of Harvard College, expressed a related concern to the Harvard Crimson.

“The whole system of accommodations for things other than physical disabilities just seems poorly matched with the educational purposes that students and faculty share,” he said.

However, Katy Washington, CEO of the Association of Higher Education and Disability, argued that students seeking accommodations are not “unfair burdens” on professors, and rather than questioning whether too many students qualify—which can perpetuate stereotypes—the focus should be on designing assessments that are inclusive for all learners.

“For decades, students with invisible disabilities were denied support because their struggles were dismissed as laziness or lack of effort,” Washington wrote in a letter to her organization’s members, shared with . “The rise in accommodations reflects a cultural shift toward acknowledging mental health, not a decline in academic integrity.”

A changing skill – based job market could leave some students unprepared

For students, the increase in accommodations coincides with employers. Fewer companies are emphasizing degrees, and more are evaluating what they can do—through portfolio, projects, and real – world problem – solving.

Less than half of U.S. professionals at the director – level and above say a university degree is essential for getting ahead, according to. Moreover, nearly 1 in 5 job postings on the platform do not require a degree.

That shift could complicate matters for students who have become accustomed to extended deadlines or extra time. Whether a small number of students are misusing the system, workplace assessments typically don’t come with accommodations—and performance is often judged on speed, accuracy, and consistency. Some just months into the start of their career due to employers being unimpressed with some of their soft skills, like organization.

In other words: even as college becomes more flexible, the job market is moving in the opposite direction.

A version of this story originally published on on December 12, 2025.

More on education:

  • If they want a STEM degree, ‘don’t go to Harvard.’ You may end up at the bottom of your class and drop out
  • Ex– exec says because they take so long to complete that AI will catch up by graduation
  • Anthropic cofounder says and reveals what the AI company looks for when hiring

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