ADHD and college: Tips for success, navigating college

Parents Forum Learning Differences and Challenges - LD, ADHD
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<p>My daughter will be attending college in the fall. She was diagnosed with ADHD in high school. Her grades have improved (but not like most kids here on CC)- She uses 2 tutors and gets extended time only.</p>

<p>But would appreciate ideas and suggestions for making a smooth transition in college. What are the do's and don't (if you are a student or a parent). How do you know if you should consider from the start to take 5 yrs to get through college?</p>

<p>What specific services are usually available? Which ones have been most helpful. If you or your child has used them, let me know how they went. </p>

<p>My daughter wants her college years academically to be much stronger than high school.</p>

<p>Any suggestions, resources, website links, etc would be appreciated.</p>

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<p>Darlene,
My son was diagnosed during his first semester freshman year in college. It was pretty much a nightmare as he went on and off several medications, dealt with side effects of each and had to get his mind around exactly what his disorder was.</p>

<p>Your d. is ahead of the game there as I assume she is adjusted and set on a medication routine. So that is good.</p>

<p>I would reccommend that she get her OHI on file with the school so that what accomodations she feels she needs, the paper work will have already been started. Each school is different on the hoops you have to jump through so just be sure and read the school web page on students with learning disabilities.</p>

<p>Also, have her get established with a on campus counselor. My son's counselor was a great advocate for him (for instance when he needed to drop a class after the drop date)</p>

<p>The only "extra" my son has asked for is extra time on a few tests and one on one help in writing lab (has processing disorder also).</p>

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<p>One other suggestion. My son found it very helpful to tape his lecture classes and take notes from the tape later. That way he could focus on just what the prof was saying and not be distracted by note taking.</p>

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<p>My son has ADD, executive function deficits, and slow processing speed. He applied to and was accepted to 3 nice small LACs. He will probably begin college in the fall, unless he decides to take a gap year first.</p>

<p>We believe that the first year of college will be the most difficult, because it will contain a variety of challenges...being away from home and his support group, having to be his own advocate in many ways, having to manage himself and his schedule, having to develop and consistently apply good study skills. Therefore, we decided from the outset that our son would plan on taking 5 years to complete his degree. In this way, he could take a lighter academic load initially without feeling guilty about a "late" graduation. Also, if he became proficient in all the skills necessary to transition to a more robust schedule, he would feel good about himself. We felt that if our son tried to do his first year like the other students without disabilities he would feel immediately overwhelmed. And, he would have to sacrifice a good portion of the college experience simply trying to stay on top of things. In this way, less pressure, more freedom, more happiness, and hopefully better outcome.</p>

<p>The services provided (or not) by each institution can vary greatly. Do your homework and carefully check out each. There are several guide books that can help. While I don't have them at hand at this moment, I will look up the names and post again. The more structure a program offers, the stronger the safety net for your child.</p>

<p>Remember that what the college's website/catalog says it offers and what it actually does may be quite different. Be sure to meet with the disabililties services staff early on and bring your documentation. Also, know what your child needs...and ask lots of questions.</p>

<p>What we've found is that smaller schools often tend to be more supportive of their students all the way around. The professors develop a closer bond with the students and want them to succeed. They look out for them more on a more personal mentoring level.</p>

<p>We also looked for schools that had solid disability services as well as solid academic support services for all students, because there would be two safety nets in place for her.</p>

<p>Also, look for academic flexibility...a college that might allow your child to make up bad grades, or be able to transfer in courses taken over the summer at a local college. Also, explore what the college would do if your child had significant difficulties and was placed on probation or asked to withdraw for a time. How would your child be treated? How accommodating does the college appear to be? How do they view the struggling, yet evolving and improving student? While it's in the words the adcoms/staff use, it's also between the lines. It all comes down to the attitude that the people your child will deal with exhibit...and how that will make your child feel about her acceptance, her potential for success, and her value to the institution.</p>

<p>Use tutoring, the writing center and the math center, peer tutoring, study groups, study skills workshops, etc. to the max. Make sure your child utilizes as much help as possible from the outset. Mine wanted to try to go it alone at first to see if he could handle it all. We told him that was not the best approach...that he should avail himself of lots of help and support and gradually wean himself off of it as he felt more capable. Also, some colleges or their environs have ADD/disabilites coaches who can advocate for your child.</p>

<p>Just some thoughts for you. Hope they help.</p>

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<p>MKM56 -</p>

<p>My son will also need to tape lectures. Would you tell me a little bit more about what device he used? I was always perplexed about what type of recorder, where it would be placed, where my son would sit, if the device would pick up ambient sounds, etc.</p>

<p>Anything you could share would be greatly appreciated.</p>

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<p>These are great ideas. I must say it is so hard to ask all of the questions you pose during the college day trips. The campus tour and sometimes trying to visit 2 schools in one day was tough. I am contacting her accepted school now with these great questions. I'll let you know how first semester went. It makes me nervous that grades are not sent home. I hope she will let me know how she is doing. I hope that she will use all services provided and that they are helpful (an not just frosting on the cake). I wish that there was a Montessori college (no grades) for kids like mine. She does so well in group projects, presentations, organization...and just manages to get C's and B's. Only when she absolutely loves something is it a B+ or A. Unfortunately, the one school that has barely any "requirements" --she was waitlisted. Yes, even with all of the help at school...I am so very worried. Everyone says I have to let go. My husband says, are you on CC again? (smiles)</p>

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<p>OrangeBlossom,
I'm not sure of make of recorder (I can find out from him and let you know later if you like). He went to BestBuy at school and bought it. It picks up well and he just keeps it at his seat, but he goes to a smaller LAC with lecture classes never over about 40. When he had to miss class due to illness, he had classmates put the recorder with the prof. and then picked it up later. PM me if you want actual model and brand.</p>

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<p>darlene, hopefully after a semester she'll learn what type of prof/class she likes.. one where it's more hands on or one where it's more lecture, and then when choosing her classes for future semesters she can ask around about which courses fit her needs better... i was neved diagnosed with add or anything like that, however i have friends who have and they seem to be firm believers that i have it too, heh, but anyway, i always loved the classes where you had group work and things like that as opposed to where you had to sit there and listen to the prof lecture all day.. because you just sit there and it goes in one ear and out the other as you're not paying attention... so i loved the hands on classes.... but that's just me.</p>

<p>also, i always did a lot better studying in groups or with another person.. because whenever i study by myself i get distracted by every little thing, so when i study in groups they keep me focused on what we're doing.. plus they're there to answer questions if you have any, and vice versa. i didnt' start studying in groups like that until junior year, and my gpa went up dramatically.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
She does so well in group projects, presentations, organization...and just manages to get C's and B's. Only when she absolutely loves something is it a B+ or A.

[/quote]
Have you got my son there, darlene? Sure sounds familiar!</p>

<p>I'm going to work on S (now HS junior) to see if I can get him to take a tape-recorder to HS his senior year to get into the habit. </p>

<p>On the recommendation of some here, I bought a copy of "Learning Outside the Lines:Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success" by David Cole and Jonathan Mooney, two students at Brown who succeeded there despite learning challenges. Some of it is hard to read, but it includes their moving and inspiring personal stories, and chapters filled with concrete suggestions on how to succeed at college. I'll be memorizing it in the next year, and hope my S will do the same. You might find some valuable tips there. It left me optimistic.</p>

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<p>My daughter uses a recorder for her ipod to tape lectures then downloads to computer. That seems to work for her and she prefers that to carrying seperate recorder.</p>

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<p>Either my S has been cloned or we are all in the same boat. I am the proud mother of an energetic, creative, divergent thinker - and have the grey hairs to prove it. I was internet browsing for books on the subject and came across the "Survival Guide for College Students" by K. Nadeau. Have any of you read it?</p>

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<p>Darlene- There is a good chapter about college in the book "Delivered from Distraction" by Edward Hollowell and John Ratey. They also wrote "Driven to Distraction". You might look for it at your library or browse it at a bookstore. "Learning outside the lines" that Mootmom suggested is a good book. I haven't had any success getting my son to read it but if your D is motivated to read it I think it has great ideas.</p>

<p>Keepmesane can you give us more details how your D records for her ipod.
My son is a junior and has yet to take the SAT. He has double time and can have use of a tape recording. Has anyone had experience with either of those options.
Also for those of you whose children are going off to college it would be great for the parents of the juniors to hear back once the school year is under way.</p>

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<p>I had a couple people request recorder model my son is using. Of course when I talked to him, he didn't have it on him, but he said it was an Olympus, model was something like DSS2. It is digital and he downloads lectures to his computer and at times then puts them to Itunes so it plays on his Ipod. He says it picks up well from his desk, he usually sits 3-4 rows back. He did buy it at BEST BUY and said be sure and send extra batteries--they go pretty fast.</p>

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<p>How did the individual high schools help your children when it came time to take the act or sat? Did the accomodations help? </p>

<p>My dd is LD and a sophomore in high school. She got her report card and got straight B's and 1 A. The school labeled her as an average student, and she works her butt off. </p>

<p>How did you prepare your children for these standardized tests?</p>

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<p>mom60--I can't recall whether you were the one who first mentioned the Hallowell book on another thread last month but it has truly changed our lives! Not only do my husband and I better understand ADD and, more importantly, not only does our son better understand himself, but we now know all our options, all the available avenues to investigate... It's been a godsend.</p>