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| The Collegiate ADHD Awareness Campaign is a collaborative effort led by the Attention Deficit Disorder Association to improve understanding of ADHD and its effect on higher education. |
Attention Deficit Disorder Association
The World's Leading Adult AD/HD Organization
Find additional ADHD resources at www.add.org.
TIPS for Transitioning to College
Jennifer S. Bramer, Ph.D., LPC
The transition from high school to college can be
difficult for students with Attention Deficit Disorders (AD/HD). However, with
appropriate foresight and planning, it can be managed successfully. In my book Succeeding
in College with Attention Deficit Disorders (Specialty Press, 1996), I use
the acronym TIPS to list some components of success for students. This
acronym stands for Time management, Interventions, Positive
attitudes, and Supports. Some of these TIPS are especially
important for students making that transition.
Time management is crucial in making a successful transition to college. This is an
area that presents a big change for many/most students. College students have
more discretionary time, more independence, and more distractions than high
school students do. Colleges expect more out-of-class studying and homework
than high schools do. These changes may blindside a student who does not
carefully plan and implement time management techniques. I usually recommend
that students with AD/HD not register for more than 12 credit hours the first
term or semester of college, and that they be careful about when they schedule
their classes--taking into consideration such things as breaks and intensity.
It is essential that students maintain a calendar of all events--assignments,
appointments, social events. They also should plan two hours of study time per
credit hour, and consider it a serious commitment.
However, before students can effectively utilize
these time management techniques, they must have some Interventions in
place. They have to select a college that has services and support that they
need, and have a complete treatment plan in place, including medication and
counseling/coaching. It is critical that students with AD/HD submit
documentation of their diagnosis with the appropriate office at the college or
university. Upon entry into the postsecondary institution, students may feel
they won’t need special accommodations; however, the documentation should be in
place in case they decide differently later. The best approach is to submit the
documentation and to request accommodations-priority registration, course
substitutions, audio-taped textbooks, tutoring, note takers, proctored tests.
It is also valuable, sometimes vital, to sit in the front of the classroom, and
to experiment with various study environments to find out what is best for the
individual.
Whether students optimally utilize
time management and interventions or not, having a Positive attitude is
critical to success. It is
important that individuals remember that AD/HD is not a character disorder-it
is a neurological disorder. They should advocate for themselves appropriately,
remembering to use AD/HD as a reason, not an excuse. They should
participate in extracurricular activities they enjoy and listen to or read
success stories of other students with AD/HD.
Supports
do so much to enhance the experience of students in college, and to ensure
their success. It is important to seek out accommodating and understanding
instructors and to develop a relationship with a supportive counselor, coach,
or therapist. Parents can provide supplemental support-usually, perhaps,
through long distance phone calls. It is of utmost importance that students be
affirmed for their successes and encouraged to try new study strategies when
others are not working. Students need to seek support from people who truly
understand and empathize with disabilities that interfere with executive
functioning.
Although obtaining a
postsecondary education is not easy for most students with AD/HD, there is
evidence that the process can be made easier by using appropriate coping
mechanisms. Time management, Interventions, Positive attitudes, and Supports
are TIPS that can add up to success.
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