Executive functioning weaknesses are the absence of those behaviors that make it possible to complete everyday tasks in a reasonable period of time. These are the skills we are all expected to be able to perform in the course of our daily life to make our lives run smoothly and work successfully.
Remember the times you used adrenalin and staying up all night to cram for an exam, complete a paper, or finish a project? It is possible that strategy might have worked moderately well in high school but will not fly so well in college. Yes, occasionally you may get by through employing that strategy in college. However, most of the time your exams, papers, and research projects will require more in-depth learning and that you digest formulas and information over the entire semester and school year. It will be impossible for you to do well in higher education if you don’t learn this early on. So, when should you start preparing for college success?
As many parents are well aware, the expectations of college require an adjustment period for any teenager. For a teen with ADHD, this adjustment time might be tough, unless they’ve received adequate support in developing their independence skills. If you want to help your teen succeed in college there are things you can do while they are in high school that will help.
College with ADHD will be different from high school. There will be new and unique challenges from what you are used to. At college, no one is likely to monitor how you are keeping up with your classwork, if you’re showing up on time for classes, and whether or not you are spending the right amount of time studying. This you will need to learn for yourself and you will need to learn it quickly.
Studying effectively presents unique challenges for students with ADHD. The good news is that if you are willing to put in the extra effort at the beginning, you can set up the habits that will ensure you overcome these challenges as you’re learning how to master being a college student. Research shows that ADHD students don’t need to study harder or longer, they need to study differently.
