Entering college with ADHD

Despite the challenges that ADHD symptoms may present, teens may enjoy a successful, emotionally rewarding college experience. The key is for them to understand the ways in which ADHD affects them—and to make plans and allowances for dealing with those challenges. College students with ADHD often need to address such issues as:

• Scheduling classes. Consider leaving extra time between classes to collect thoughts, review notes or simply relax
• Study environment. Teens with ADHD should be aware of their most productive study settings. Some individuals study best in very quiet environments, while others may need some background noise
• Academic strengths and weaknesses. Being aware of one's unique talents and preferences can help teens "play to their strengths" in choosing majors and courses. This can be especially empowering for the teen with ADHD
• Support services. Many colleges provide special services—such as counselors and time-management courses—that can help students with ADHD. In fact, federal law guarantees reasonable accommodations for students with ADHD*. Depending on the college, such accommodations can include additional time for completing tests or coursework, changes in degree requirements, study and note-taking aids (e.g., calculators, note-takers, audio taped texts)

Entering the workforce with ADHD

• For teens with ADHD who are not planning on attending college, there are plenty of rewarding options available

Here are some tips and ideas for teens with ADHD who want to join the workforce after high school:

• Take advantage of support in high school. Teachers and guidance counselors can offer insight and help with career options
• Recognize ADHD-appropriate work environments. In general, people with ADHD perform best in structured work settings, where tasks, routines and expectations are clearly defined. It may be best to avoid jobs that require a lot of paperwork and record-keeping
• Take personal inventory. Before searching for a job, it can be very useful for teens to create a personal inventory of likes, dislikes, hobbies, knowledge base, and strengths and weaknesses
• Consider learning a trade. There are hundreds of occupational areas (ranging from cooking to plumbing to computers) that teens can enter by attending a trade school. Students receive hands-on experience and guided practice; in many cases, they can enter an apprenticeship program, which makes it possible to earn income while learning