Transitioning From High School to College: a Post for Students and Parents
The transition from high school to college is transformative — and tricky. During this time, many people discover their passion, forge a career path, and develop friendships to last a lifetime. In these ways, college is a rewarding investment, but post-secondary institutions were not designed with every student in mind. Approximately 8% of college students have a diagnosis of ADHD.
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ADHD is a condition that can cause chronic difficulties.
• Symptoms of ADHD in college can consist of difficulties with:
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• Paying attention in class or while completing homework
• Planning long-term assignments
• Procrastinating
• Managing time
• Staying organized
• Getting motivated
• Maintaining self-care (taking medications, getting enough sleep, etc.)
• ADHD in college is associated with:
• Lower GPAs, more academic problems, and higher risk of failure/dropout
• Difficulty adjusting to college, risk for depression and substance use
Many new college students say they could keep everything — schedules, appointments, assignments, and more — in their heads with few problems during high school. They quickly discover that this doesn’t work after 12th grade. College students’ daily schedules vary from day to day, and include large chunks of unstructured time during the day. Figuring out an effective system for tracking and planning your time is critical to avoiding wasted hours and lost productivity.
It takes time and thought to figure out the study approach that works best for you. There are no one-size-fits-all study systems, especially for students with ADHD or LD. Here are some questions to help you start the process:
• Where can you best study and get things done? Can you study in your room? Or in the library? Or do you study better by yourself in a coffee shop or in the dorm lounge?
• Does sitting for long periods work for you? Taking breaks to move or working while standing can improve attention and learning for those with attention problems.
• What are the best times for you to study? Can you effectively read at night when the dorm is quiet and you are using your laptop? Would waking up an hour earlier be better? Does exercising before you study help?
• How do you learn best? Can you understand what you read, or would listening simultaneously to an audio version work better? Should you take notes in class, tape your lectures, or do both? Does writing help you memorize, or does it help to teach the material to someone else?
• What will help you stay focused? Are you distracted by your phone and Facebook? Can you really keep your phone with you? Some students turn off their phones or don’t take them to class.
However, you may need your phone or another tech tool to help you do work in class.
Resources for this blog post:
https://www.additudemag.com/accommodations-college-students-disabilities-adhd/
https://www.uicadhd.org/succeeds
https://www.additudemag.com/college-ready/?src=embed_link
https://www.additudemag.com/college-students-and-adhd-improving-outcomes/
https://www.additudemag.com/college-ready/?src=embed_link