Even if you have ADHD, you can go on to pursue higher education, successfully meeting the challenges that college presents. Although medication is an important part of an effective treatment plan to manage your ADHD symptoms, it's only one component of an overall treatment approach. Understanding the struggles of ADHD and how ADHD student coaching can help build your confidence and teach you skills to overcome your academic struggles are essential steps toward achieving success:

Common Struggles

College academics can be difficult for any freshman college student, but especially for students with ADHD who generally find it hard to prioritize and organize their study schedules. Many ADHD students who enter college don't know how much study time to put in. Others don't know how to study. This can make some college courses seem harder than they really are. And in an effort to compensate, you may find yourself spending more time studying than your classmates.

Lack of confidence, the loss of the immediate availability of parental support, and a less- structured environment may make it hard to adapt to college life and perhaps even prevent you from successfully achieving your academic goals. Disorganization and poor focus can make managing your ADHD symptoms more difficult so that you have a tough time staying on track and completing tasks within the time allotted.

Coaching Benefits

Making the transition from high school to college requires you to be more responsible and independent–key qualities that you need to be successful in life. The new challenges that college life brings can be difficult to face if you aren't prepared. That's where ADHD coaching can help. A coach guides you in seeing the possibilities for your future by:

• Helping you to identify your goals. A coach works with you to set clear goals that are realistic and measurable. He or she will monitor the progress you make toward achieving your goals and help you find solutions to overcoming obstacles that may get in your way.

• Offering academic, emotional, and social support. A key benefit of ADHD coaching is to help you work toward increasing your self-awareness so that you become more self-reliant. Your coach will also encourage you to take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

• Providing advice. An ADHD coach will assist you in developing a plan on how to reach your goals and develop your full potential.

• Giving you the tools to achieve success. Your coach will teach you organizational and planning skills to simplify your daily tasks, reduce stress, and improve your academic performance.

• Showing you how to manage time. Young adults with ADHD often struggle with time management, especially when it comes to completing assignments or projects that bore or don't interest them. Coaches generally suggest breaking down a large project into smaller, more manageable goals so that you don't feel overwhelmed.

• Encouraging you to maximize your strengths. A coach encourages you to put your greatest efforts in your strengths rather than focusing on what you don't do well. But before identifying your strengths, your coach may help you get to know yourself better by inspiring you to explore your thoughts, dreams, and curiosity about the world around you.

• Teaching you the importance of self-advocacy. Being able to advocate for yourself is essential when you go on for a post-secondary education. Consequently, you need to be able to make decisions independently and communicate your needs without relying on someone else to do it for you.

Keep in mind that ADHD is a condition that contributes to academic and social struggles; it does not determine your overall identity. Therefore, don't be afraid to speak up for yourself and inform the appropriate individuals of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can get the learning support services you may need to help you be success in college.