ADHD and College Life – How Do I Prepare My Teen? 

School presents a number of challenges for students with ADHD, and this is especially true in college. Unlike the structure of elementary through high school, college introduces newfound freedom, haywire schedules, limited oversight, and tons of distractions. In many cases, teens go from having one hour of free time a day to three hours of class a day, making it easier than ever to get sidetracked and fall behind. The good news is, your student with ADHD can excel in college with the right supports and skill sets. 

So how can you prepare your student for college life with ADHD?:

1. Power up perseverance

Any time we face a major life adjustment, it’s important to go into it with a resilient attitude. Your teen should be prepared to expect certain challenges that weren’t there in high school, but assure them that they are capable of overcoming these hurdles. When you talk to your teen about college preparation, do so with a positive attitude. Avoid nagging and maintain a calm, neutral tone. Encourage them that you believe in their abilities, and check out our tips for boosting passion and persistence in your student. 

2. “Scaffold” their skills

“Scaffolding” refers to parents helping kids develop skills by modeling the desired behavior, gradually involving the child, and then empowering the child to take over independently. Think of when you taught your kid to ride a bike: you may have demonstrated it yourself, then held the handle as they practiced, and eventually let go. 

Take a similar approach to teaching your teen how to schedule. Teach them to use a day planner or electronic calendar by showing them how you manage your schedule. Pick a weekly time to review and update their planner together. Then, when it seems to be routine, let them practice being responsible for managing their schedule on their own. You can apply the scaffolding approach to outlining notes, doing laundry, balancing a budget, and other critical life skills.

3. Plan the important stuff

Teens with ADHD are more likely to stay on track if they create their own plans for success. Ask your kid to share their plans for budgeting money, sleeping adequately, waking up on time, studying, tracking deadlines, cleaning, preparing healthy foods, and dealing with peer pressure. An often-overlooked item is planning time to plan. Ask them to consider setting a weekly time to project and plan out each week’s obligations. Listen to their thoughts and share supportive ideas. Remind them to plan time for friends, fun, and recreation to avoid burnout.

Is your teen with ADHD ready to take the SAT or ACT? Click here to learn how we can help.

4. Connect with college resources

Reach out to the school’s Office of Disability Services to discuss accommodations that will help your student manage ADHD symptoms and achieve academic success. Common accommodations include an assigned note-taker, extended time on exams, and breaking up large projects into smaller segments. It’s important to note that if your teen had an IEP or 504 plan in high school, they are not guaranteed eligibility for accommodations in college. An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), can assist with securing services and accommodations to meet your student’s needs. 

Need help securing accommodations for your college student? Schedule your consultation to learn how we can help.

5. “Dip their toe in” with a summer class

Diving into the big leagues of college can feel overwhelming to students with ADHD. A great way to get comfortably acclimated is to start by enrolling in a single summer class, evening course, or community college elective before taking on a full class load in the fall. If it’s an option, sign your student up for one early course to practice navigating the campus and managing their obligations.

6. Make strategic class selections

Keeping in mind that college coursework is generally more rigorous than high school, be thoughtful as to how many classes your student should take at a time. Invite them to ask other students for insights on the best teachers and when possible, aim to register for smaller classes rather than full lecture halls. Encourage them to reach out to prospective professors to discuss their understanding of ADHD. Students can also take advantage of the “add/drop class” options in the early weeks of each term, by signing up for more classes than they intend to keep and dropping one or two that aren’t working with the rest of their class load.

7. Request materials early

Once your student picks their classes, have them reach out to their professors to ask for syllabi and assigned textbooks in advance. By familiarizing themselves with class expectations and content ahead of time, they’ll be more prepared when the term begins.

8. Avoid working the 1st year

While working provides young adults with many potential benefits, it’s generally recommended that students with ADHD avoid working their first year of college. However, they can think of college as their “9 to 5” by viewing classes and homework as their full-time job. This perspective can be helpful for students to clearly designate work time vs. free time. If they can successfully manage college responsibilities as freshmen, they may be ready for part-time employment their sophomore or junior year. For students who work out of necessity, it’s helpful to work only part-time, evening, or weekend hours, as well as applying for jobs with flexible time commitments such as rideshare services or call centers.  

Is your teen ready for their first job? Click here to find out

9. Schedule distractions

Students with ADHD are especially prone to distractions, and few places present as many enticing sidetracks than college towns. Help your teen identify things that tend to distract them, and schedule specific time for them to enjoy those distractions guilt-free. Whether it be scrolling social media, playing video games, or hanging out at the student pool hall, they’ll be more successful in avoiding their distractions if they have set time carved out for them after school hours.

10. Consider a coach

In high school, students have frequent oversight from parents and teachers who hold them accountable for staying on track. In college, students are expected to hold themselves accountable. A great way for students with ADHD to be responsible for their success is to seek out a mentor to monitor their progress and coach them if they start to veer off track. This can be a college counselor, resident assistant, or a therapist who specializes in ADHD coaching for students. Diagnostic testing can define your teen’s specific needs and guide you in choosing an effective coach or therapist.

11. Consult an Educational Expert

The leap from high school to college can be intimidating for both teens and parents, but the transition can go much smoother with the support of an educational expert. Our Educational Psychologists are experts in managing ADHD in an academic setting and can place your teen on the best path toward college success. Our team offers diagnostic testing to evaluate your student’s exact needs, and educational consulting to ensure those needs are met.  

Click here to schedule your consultation

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More about Variations Psychology

Variations Psychology is a group practice specializing in diagnostic testing to identify psychological conditions.

Our comprehensive evaluations test for conditions that impact mental health and development such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, and developmental delays. 

In addition to diagnostic services, we offer Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) of K-12 students to assess needs for accommodations in school and determine their appropriate placements. IEEs provide an objective second opinion on existing IEP and 504 Plans.

For K-12 and post-secondary students, we offer evaluations to assess needs for accommodations on standardized tests, college entrance exams (e.g. - SAT, ACT, AP Exams), and graduate and professional licensing exams (e.g. - MCAT, LSAT, GRE, CBEST, NCLEX, GMAT, CA Cosmetology Exam, CA Contractors State Licensing Exam, CA Bar Exam). 

Variations Psychology is located in Newport Beach, CA and provides psychological testing to residents throughout Orange County and its surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Irvine, Shady Canyon, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Yorba Linda, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Pelican Hill, Crystal Cove, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Lake Forest, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach, and more.

References:

Collins, K. (n.d.) Strategies/Techniques for ADHD. College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. https://www.disability.illinois.edu/strategiestechniques-adhd

Green, A. L., & Rabiner, D. L. (2012). What do we really know about ADHD in college students?. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 9(3), 559–568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-012-0127-8 

Kantor, M. (2020) Good to Go (to College). ADDitude Magazine. Retrieved from  https://www.additudemag.com/adjusting-to-college-with-adhd/

Laurie Maitland, T.E. (2020). The College Survival Guide for Students with ADHD. ADDitude Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-and-college-survival-guide/

Shinn, M.M. (2018). Accommodations for College Entrance Exams: What Parents Need to Know. Psychologically Speaking.  [Variations Psychology blog post].  Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/does-my-child-need-accommodations-for-the-sat-act

Shinn, M.M. (2018). 6 Tips to Prepare for your Teen’s Independence.  Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post].  Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/6-tips-to-prepare-for-your-teens-independence

Shinn. M.M. (2019). Could I Have ADHD or Executive Functioning Issues? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from  https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/could-i-have-adhd-or-executive-functioning-issues

Shinn. M.M. (2020). Diagnostic Testing: 6 Reasons it’s the Best First Step Before Therapy or Educational Services. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/diagnostic-testing-6-reasons-its-the-best-first-step-before-therapy-or-educational-services

Shinn. M.M. (2020). Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs): What They Are & How They Can Help. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/independent-educational-evaluations-iees-what-they-are-how-they-can-help

Shinn. M.M. (2019). Is My Teen Addicted to Video Games? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from: Psychologically Speaking: Is My Teen Addicted to Video Games? — Variations (variationspsychology.com)

Shinn, M.M. (2018). Life Success – Is it about Persistence or Following Your Passion?  Psychologically Speaking.  [Variations Psychology blog post].  Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/life-success-is-it-about-persistence-or-following-your-passion

Shinn, M.M. (2018). Should I Let My Teen Get a Job? 10 Things Parents Should Know. Psychologically Speaking.  [Variations Psychology blog post].  Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/should-i-let-my-teen-get-a-job-10-things-parents-should-know

Shinn. M.M. (2020). Understanding Education Plans: A Parent’s Guide to 504s and IEPs. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/understanding-education-plans-a-parents-guide-to-504s-and-ieps

Succeeding in College with ADHD (n.d.) Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from https://chadd.org/for-parents/succeeding-in-college-with-adhd/

How to Cite This Blog Article:

Shinn. M.M. (2021). My Kid Has ADHD – How Do I Prepare Them for College? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/adhd-and-college-life-how-do-i-prepare-my-teen