By Erin Rodriguez
College Help for ADHD Students
College? With ADHD? It’s not only accessible, it’s your right!
Most young adults with ADHD often wander into college, wide-eyed and mildly terrified, not realizing that colleges are lawfully required to provide accommodations for their learning disability. Here are some facts to get you started.
Accommodation Laws for College Students with ADHD
1. The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) covers any person with a disability. While colleges may not have the exact same methodology and vocabulary as IEPs in primary and secondary school, accommodations through the ADA are available to college students.
2. Rehabilitation Act 1973, Section 504 (Subpart E). This is where the term “504 Plan” stems and while kindergarten through high school plans are sanctioned in Subpart D, college students have accommodation rights through Subpart E. The well-prepared college PARENT and STUDENT will get to know this document before starting any college application process.
IEP Accommodation Goals for ADHD students
3. IEP accommodations MAY transfer from high school to college. That’s right! Some colleges will honor a student’s standing IEP/504 plan. Communication with the college’s accessibility office (sometimes called Disability Services) is imperative for starting a college career with the best support possible.
4. Accommodation versus Modification. Remember that accommodations change how a student learns and modifications change what the student learns. Because universities are governed only by the ADA, modifications are not legally required, and many colleges do not grant modifications.
5. Disability documentation matters at the college level. Have any learning disability, special accommodations, education plans, and modifications in writing to present to the disability office. The more documentation, the better the chances that accommodations are granted.
Students with ADHD classroom accommodations
1. Extended times for exams.
2. Note-taking accommodations (audio recorders, sharing notes with another student, priority seating/viewing, etc.).
3. Exam sites that have less distractions.
4. Possible use of laptops, calculators, and spell checkers (dependent upon course expectations and other requirements).
5. Breaks during exams, classes, labs, etc.
6. Audio textbooks.
7. Reading helps with text and lecture notes.
8. Possible reduced course load.
9. Instructions in either written or audio form from professors.
10. Potential class requirement substitutions.
Tips and Strategies for Getting Started
1. Be choosy! Look for colleges with large learning disability advocacy departments, ADHD-LD specialists on site, and maybe even a high number of ADHD students.
2. Be your own advocate! Colleges are not required to assess for learning disabilities. It is up to the student (who is now an adult) to seek out the Disability Services (or similarly named) department and register with them. Once recognized, the disabilities will be accommodated.
3. Scout ahead! Go check out the new school, dorm, apartment, and town. Learn where all the major stores are. Find the movie theater, the craft store, the local dog park, the best place to get a burger, or whatever else makes you happy and relaxed.
4. Train the brain! Work on those time management skills and other weak areas before leaving for college. Create a plan for balancing work and play. Learn to break down long-term projects into smaller, more manageable pieces. Figure out what are distraction triggers and how to manage them.
Organizational Tips for ADHD College Students
1. Recognize the importance of creating a routine. A regular study area, a specific time to get up, a place to set keys/homework/supplies, and times to eat and sleep are very useful.
2. Create a daily/weekly/monthly schedule that is prominently placed in the dorm room.
3. Gather tools to help. These might include noise-canceling headphones, a white noise machine, or even a natural light lamp.
4. Learn to use electronic devices to keep a schedule. These may include watch alarms, cell phones with reminder apps and alarms, etc.
College doesn’t have to be impossible for ADHD-LD students. There are many recommended ADHD college resources available, so check them out and stay informed. In the words of the famous Dr. Seuss, just imagine “Oh, the places you’ll go…”
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