Why ADHD Students Who Excelled in High School Struggle in University
“They just aren’t trying hard enough” is usually the first thought a parent hears when their smart, bright kid is struggling in university. You think “maybe they’re getting distracted by parties and friends”. While that may be part of the problem, for students with ADHD the issue is much deeper than how it looks on the surface. It’s not that their effort output suddenly changed, it’s that effort was never the thing holding up their grades in the first place. It was always the scaffolding and structure around them.
The support you didn’t know was there is gone
Most people don’t realize just how important structure is for ADHDers, and how much structure high school naturally provides. Teachers will notice when a student is frequently absent from the class, or hasn’t handed something in on time. A bell goes off that moves everyone right from one class to the next without having to pay attention to a clock. Daily schedules are consistent, and breaks (like lunch) have an enforced start and stop time. Your kid knows where to be, when to be there, and people are keeping tabs on them to make sure they do just that.
None of that is necessarily a bad thing. It just means a lot of the executive function work was being outsourced, things like planning, initiating, and remembering. While they are capable of strengthening these skills, there was simply no reason to… until now!
What happens when they get to university
And just like that, all the structure that was holding them up has not just reduced, it’s disappeared entirely.
No one is going to check in and make sure they’re keeping up with readings. The professor isn’t going to call you if they missed class. Your student is navigating an entirely new environment with new rules and none of the structure or external accountability systems that had been keeping them afloat.
They are anything but lazy
While it might look like laziness on the surface, there is a lot going on underneath. They’re experiencing executive dysfunction on a whole new level. Its more of a gap in their self-understanding and executive functioning skills rather than a character flaw. Which is actually good news, because skills are something that can be taught and strengthened!
For example, getting help used to be asking the teacher a question during class. Now it’s going to office hours, which requires a lot more steps. They need to find out when the office hours are being held, where they are, schedule it in their calendar, remember to go and actually get there on time. Each step of the way is another strain on their already struggling executive functions, and this is just one of the many things they are now responsible for!
Shame isn’t the answer
Parents often feel inclined to add more pressure or monitoring to their kid when they start struggling. Which makes sense when you’re only seeing the surface. But discipline is not the right solution when the problem isn’t a lack of trying. Now that we have a better understanding of the full picture, we can better address the problem which is strengthening executive functioning skills.
You aren’t wrong to be concerned or scared. That means you care, and that is why you’ve read this far!
What actually helps
The ultimate goal is to rebuild external structure with intention, and learn skills and strategies that actually work with their unique brain wiring. My student survival guide is a great place to start, it has some ideas students with ADHD can try. You can grab it for free!
ADHD coaching is also a great option. I look at is as the bridge to independence. Students can get the support they need, and allowing parents to take a step back with peace of mind. If you are interested in learning more, you can check out the parent information page.
I’m also happy to hop on a discovery call, even if it’s just a parent who wants to get more information before pitching it to their student! Discovery calls are a no-pressure chat to learn more and see if coaching would be a good fit.
