🎓 ADHD Students Are College-Bound (Ready or Not): A 5 Step Guide for Educators

Supporting neurodivergent high schoolers before they leap into the academic thunderdome

✨ So, you’ve got ADHD Students. And They’re About to Enter the Hunger Games (aka college).

High school may be a mildly controlled circus, but college? That’s a whole new level of “figure it out yourself.”

For students with ADHD, this transition can go from freedom and excitement to executive dysfunction-fueled disaster real quick.

Luckily, you can help them build parachutes before they jump.

---

🧠 Step 1: Stop Trying to "Fix" ADHD

Start by dropping the “just try harder” narrative.

ADHD is a neurological difference, not a motivation deficit. If a student can focus on Minecraft for 6 hours but not your essay prompt — congratulations, you’ve met dopamine dysregulation.

Instead, teach systems and supports that work with the ADHD brain.

---

🛠️ Step 2: Teach the Skills They’ll Actually Need

Academic success in college relies more on executive function than intelligence. Help them practice:

• Time management with visual tools and time-blocking.

• Breaking down big tasks into smaller chunks.

• Task initiation strategies (e.g., “Just start with 5 minutes”).

• Emailing professors (yes, really — many don’t know how).

🎯 Use assignments to build scaffolding, not just test knowledge.