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Helping My Teen with ADHD Prepare for College

The transition from high school to college is a time of profound changes and poses unique questions for teens with ADHD and their families. College presents increased demands with less support and structure; therefore, teens need more than good grades to succeed in higher education especially if they are diagnosed with ADHD.

Is college right for my teen with ADHD and how do we choose a supportive university?

The first step of the college process is determining if this is the best option for your teen. Your teen may benefit from a gap year to explore interests, enter the workforce, or utilize technical or training courses. They may also gravitate towards community college as a steppingstone to a four-year university.

If your teen has decided that college is right for them, you can begin to explore universities which offer majors in their interests and through what services are available for students needing extra support. Tools such as the K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Difficulties can help highlight support services offered to students across the country.

What supports are there for my teen with ADHD in college?

Under Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA), an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) is available to all K to 12 students with a disability. Though these supports end with high school graduation, college age students with ADHD are still protected by Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act and Title II of Americans with Disabilities Act. This means students are potentially entitled to academic modifications and supports in college as well.

However, your teen is now the primary advocate for these services and should plan to meet with college’s disability office to discuss the accommodation process and deadlines as early as possible. Accommodations can include extended time on tests, testing in a location with reduced distractions, or assistance with notetaking, such as recording of lectures or access to another student’s notes.

Colleges also may offer other services such as mental health counseling, writing centers, tutoring, and peer support programs that can help promote success and address barriers (such as anxiety and depression) along the way. Your teen can build a team to support them at college, but they will need to self-advocate and ask for help when they need it.

What can we work on now to promote our teen’s success in college?

During your teen’s senior year, you can promote independence by supporting your teen in gradually taking over responsibility for their education. For example, you should have your teen attend their IEP meetings and speak for themselves with you there as a support to address concerns with their teachers. You can work with your teen and school to remove unneeded accommodations and identify supports that they may wish to maintain in college.

Further, you can begin to shift responsibility for daily living skills including managing their own schedule, meal planning, and setting morning alarms and allowing them to experiment with how to balance relationships and responsibilities. You should encourage your teen to explore and try different strategies to manage their daily routine including task and time management skills to find what will work best for them. As a parent, guide your teen and stay connected with them about decisions, grades, and schedules while also taking a step back as they learn to build confidence that they can manage bumps in the road with your support.

What about medication?

You can start in high school to build confidence for both you and your teen in their ability to manage their medications. You can encourage your teen to be the lead in appointments with their medication prescriber and talk early about how best to manage medications while at college and any changes that may need made to address college class schedules.

Further, you can work with your teen to take medication consistently without reminders, schedule and keep their own medical appointments, and learn how to utilize pharmacy services for medication refills. Teens should be reminded to never stop or change how they take medications without talking to their doctor and only take medications prescribed to them. You can explore ways to safely store medications and teach your teen about risks of sharing medications with others or mixing their medications with alcohol or other drugs.

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