The transition from high school to college is tough for most students. But for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, university life poses a host of academic, medical and personal challenges. Students with A.D.H.D. struggle to stay focused on their studies and to meet the organizational demands of schoolwork.
I wrote about the issue in this week's Education Life special section.
For a teenager struggling to stay organized, the unusual class schedules, hourlong lectures, late-night study sessions and disrupted sleep routines of college can be a nightmare. Studies suggest that college students with A.D.H.D. are at greater risk for academic and psychological difficulties, and have lower grade-point averages, than peers without the problem. "We have found that there are a lot of significant barriers these students face," says Dr. Mark H. Thomas, a physician at the University of Alabama student health center, who is part of a campuswide effort to provide additional resources to students with the disorder, including a series of podcasts on how to cope.
