Over the years Hofstra University has been proud of its commitment to serve highly qualified students who have not been able to realize their potential. The professional staff of the Program for Academic Learning Skills (PALS) extends this work to a specific group of potential college students who have been traditionally identified as learning disabled. The staff of Hofstra's School for University Studies understands that course grades and test results do not always reflect the true academic potential of many learning disabled students.

PALS provides auxiliary aids and compensatory services to certified learning disabled students who have been accepted to the University through regular admissions. These services are provided free of charge.

In addition, among applicants not acceptable through regular admissions, PALS seeks candidates with substantially higher than average intellectual ability, with emotional stability, who are willing to work hard and who are socially mature, but who have experienced a variety of learning disabilities. These may be demonstrated by problems in oral and written language expression which reflect linguistic and semantic confusions, and problems with organizational skills which are demonstrated by disorientations in space and time. These problems contribute to deficiencies in listening, reading, writing, and problem solving as they relate to academic achievement.

PALS believes that these difficulties do not always stand in the way of academic success, nor should they stand in the way of entrance to a university community. The School for University Studies, therefore, concentrates on selecting the best applicants and on enhancing the skills that will help them achieve academic success at Hofstra University.