Before he can choose an appropriate college, your teenager will need to consider—ideally with you and his guidance counselor, teachers, pediatrician, and/or psychologist—which services or accommodations he may need in his new life as an undergraduate.
Services and accommodations for college students with ADHD may include
- Special orientation programs to introduce students to the institution’s academic structure and available services
- Specialized academic advisors or counselors to help students identify the classes, professors, class load, and even the major best suited to their interests and needs
- Priority scheduling to allow students to sign up for the most appropriate classes at the most appropriate times of day
- Reduced course loads, which prevents students with ADHD from becoming overwhelmed (A reduced course load may mean that the student will have to make up credits during summer school or a fifth year.)
- A private dormitory room for students who may find the presence of a roommate too distracting or disruptive
- Math laboratories, writing workshops, computer laboratories, and reading courses to supplement and improve basic academic skills
- Specialized tutoring for students with ADHD—emphasizing organizational and planning skills and effective study techniques, as well as help with specific coursework and examination preparation
- A “personal coach” to check in with the student each day, reviewing his schedule for the day and the work she expects to accomplish
- Classroom technology, such as laptop computers, tape recorders, videos, and other recording aids, to facilitate students’ ability to retain and review the information in classroom lectures
- Academic aides, including in-class note-takers and homework editors
- Special testing arrangements, such as untimed examinations or testing in a separate, quiet room
- Advocates to help communicate a student’s diagnosis and needs to professors when appropriate and to help him obtain needed services
- Support groups or contact with other students with ADHD who can provide companionship, emotional support, and information
- Career guidance and mentoring for students with ADHD