Helping a College Student with Autism, ADHD, or Other Special Needs Be Successful

Making the transition to college from High School can be the most difficult educational change for children and families, especially when the student has Autism, ADHD, or some other special need. When a student has needs beyond what a normal school provides, it can have a compounding effect on this transition. College has much less structure than high school and professors are often much less involved with each student individually.Fortunately, there are ways to help mitigate some of the stress and anxiety that are accompanied by this process.

• Help your child prepare a designated area for reading, studying and completing assignments.
• Help your child prepare a detailed schedule of when to study for each class.
• Remind your child that they can expect to spend DOUBLE the class time studying.
• Work with your child to review the professor’s/classes website to become familiar with where and how to find notes and important announcements.
• Ask your child about how they learn, what types of information come naturally to them and what they struggle with.
• Find apps. There are many apps for iPhone and android that assist college students with studying, organizing and even reading texts.
• Contact the student support center at your college or university. If your student had an IEP or 504 plan in high school, they will still qualify for services. If they did not have either of these, the student service center should still be able to assist you with locating tutoring services if necessary.
• Buy textbooks before the first day of class and review the first chapter.

In addition, parents can look into hiring an educational consultant. An educational consultant specializes in helping align resources with a student’s and family’s goals. They work closely with the educational institution to find resources and support, while diligently advocating for the rights and benefits of the student.For more information on Educational Consulting, you can visit our page here.