5 Academic Accommodation Myths That Stop University Students From Getting Help
Even when students know they are struggling, asking for or using academic accommodations can feel uncomfortable. They might worry it’s cheating, that they don’t need them enough, or that asking for help means they aren’t capable. All these things couldn’t be further from the truth! If you’ve ever had these thoughts, you aren’t alone. Let’s clear up some of the most common myths surrounding academic accommodations.
Myth #1: Accommodations are cheating or provide an unfair advantage
People think accommodations (like having extra time on a test or being able to use a memory aid) provide the student with an unfair advantage.
In reality, accommodations are there to level the playing field. They are intended to remove disability related barriers so that students can showcase their knowledge and skills. This ensure students are assessed based on what they know, not the limitations of their disability.
Ultimately, they remove barriers, not give any sort of advantage.
A common analogy is to look at prescription glasses. Giving someone glasses so that they are able to read the white board isn’t giving them an advantage. They still need to do the work and read, understand and answer the question. The glasses don’t give them any advantage in being able to understand the lesson. It just removes the barrier that would prevent them from seeing the board clearly.
Myth #2: Only Visible Disabilities can be Accommodated
There are many ways that folks with an invisible disability can benefit from accommodations! Because ADHD isn’t something that other people can see, students sometimes feel like their struggles aren’t “serious enough” to justify getting accommodations. But accommodations aren’t based on visibility! It’s all about reducing barriers so students can access their education.
Because these disabilities aren’t visually obvious, they can take longer to identify. This leaves many students struggling without the support they need. Not because they wouldn’t benefit from accommodations, but because they are slipping through the cracks.
When someone doesn’t start getting accommodations until later in their education, it can be harder to adjust to and facilitate more shame.
Myth #3: Accommodations Lower Academic Standards
There is a belief that providing accommodations “waters down” education and makes courses easier, which is entirely false.
Accommodations generally change how a student accesses, participates in or demonstrates their leaning. Not the academic expectations themselves. Someone who gets extra time still has to answer the same questions. Someone using a screen reader still has to analyze the same text. At it’s core, the academic rigor isn’t being changed.
The goal of accommodations is for access to be equitable, not to reduce standards.
For example, getting extra time on an exam doesn’t give the student the answers. It just gives them additional time to process information and organize their thoughts so they can thoroughly demonstrate what they know.
Myth #4: The Goal of Accommodations is to not Need Them Anymore
Access needs can change over time. A student may need more, less or different accommodations at different points in their life. This may be influenced by:
A deeper understanding of their own disability
Natural progression or shifts of a condition
Life and stress factors
Encountering different teaching styles or environments
The ultimate goal is always to support the student in being able to access an education. Needing accommodations isn’t a failure in any way. The goal is to give you the support you need so you can access your education. Not to “graduate” from needing support as quickly as possible.
Myth #5: Accommodations Don’t Prepare Student for “The Real World”
The “real world” has accommodations, too! There are many ways we can self-accommodation at all stages of life. Manyworkplaces have legal obligations to provide reasonable accommodations to their employees (although this varies based on the local laws of where you live and work).
School is actually the perfect time to learn how to advocate for your needs, and experiment with what sorts of accommodations work best for you. By working on this now, you will enter the workforce with confidence in knowing what you need and how to ask for it. It’s an extremely important skill that will actually set you up for better success in the long run.
Accommodations Aren’t a Substitute for Skills
Accommodations may remove barriers, but they don’t necessarily help you manage all the other demands of student life that can be critical to your success.
For example, getting extra time on a test may help you once you’re there to sit and write it. But you may still struggle with:
Managing studying for multiple exams
Organizing your workload
Making it to the exam room on time
And this is assuming you remembered and were able to set up your accommodations in the first place! That’s where additional support can make a difference.
Accommodations and ADHD coaching isn’t a “one or the other” thing. They can actually work together quite well. Accommodations reduce the barriers at school, while coaching helps you build strategies to navigate the day to day of student life.
Accommodations are Nothing to be Ashamed of
Education works best when students can access it equitably. Dismantling the stigma surrounding academic accommodations is an essential part of student success.
However, It’s one thing to know you need accommodations. Navigating the system and actually using them is an entirely different challenge.
For students with ADHD, the process itself can involve a lot of executive functioning demands: remembering deadlines, completing paperwork, communicating with the accessibility services, contacting professors, booking testing rooms, etc. I’ve always found it quite ironic that there are so many barriers to getting accommodations!
Need Help Managing University with ADHD?
As an ADHD coach working with university and college students, this is exactly the type of thing I help with. Together, we can build the skills and develop personalized strategies so you can have the best experience possible during your post-secondary education.
If you’re ready to learn how coaching can support you, let’s chat! Your first step is to book a discovery call where we can discuss how I can help, and see if coaching would be a good fit for you.
Last Updated: September 2026
