ADHD in College

4 Hallmarks of ADHD-Supportive Colleges

Use this checklist to help your neurodivergent high schooler choose the right college—and find success when they get there.

By Jillian Lillibridge Heilman, Ph.D., CRC Verified Updated on February 18, 2025
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Disability services can be game-changing for college students with ADHD, supporting them across areas of difficulty and enabling success. When choosing a college, you and your student will, of course, consider majors offered, financial aid, location, and athletic programs. For neurodivergent students, add the following four factors to your decision tree.

1. Student Accessibility Services

Colleges’ offices of Student Accessibility Services (SAS), also known as Disability Services, ensure that qualified students with disabilities can take advantage of all that colleges have to offer, academically and beyond, without threat of discrimination. That said, SAS accommodations and services vary widely among colleges. When you’re visiting colleges, make an appointment with SAS and ask these questions:

  • Is peer or professional tutoring offered and is there a fee?
  • Do coaches or other professionals work one-on-one with students to support executive functioning?
  • Do you offer programming like workshops and training seminars?

To get a sense of the college culture, ask questions such as: If I had a professor who gave me a hard time about an accommodation, how would your office handle that?

[Read: How to Prepare Your ADHD Teen for College, According to Research]

2. Counseling and Health Services

It’s common for students with ADHD to experience anxiety and/or depression, so it’s wise to ask each campus counseling center these questions:

  • What kind of counseling services are offered?
  • Is there an annual limit on counseling sessions per student?
  • Is there a pharmacy on campus and assistance with medication management?

3. Size of Classes and Campus

Many students with ADHD report that smaller classes are more conducive for learning. Classes of 15 to 30 students aid engagement by providing more accountability and opportunity for active participation than you’ll find in a giant lecture hall.

[Read: How Can We Improve Outcomes for College Students with ADHD?]

Smaller student populations, in general, allow colleges to offer more opportunities to connect with faculty, deans, and staff at resource centers. Frequent check-ins, no matter how casual, can provide an academic and emotional safety net for neurodivergent students.

Also keep in mind that a smaller physical campus may be easier to maneuver for students with executive function challenges. Students expend mental energy each time they walk across campus to a dining hall, library, or for laundry services. That cognitive load is lightened with those facilities are nearby.

4. Course and Club Offerings

Review course catalogs to be certain a college offers courses of study that align with your student’s passions. Explore which classes are required for graduation; some colleges have extensive requirements, while others offer more choice or flexibility.

Student organizations, clubs, and sports allow students to come together to participate in shared interests that naturally facilitate connections. Make sure the colleges you’re researching offer these opportunities in areas that ignite your student’s passions. Also ask: How competitive or easy-to-join are these groups or teams?

ADHD on Campus: How Can Student Accessibility Services Help?

Once your student qualifies for disability services, SAS will schedule an intake appointment to discuss reasonable accommodations, in and out of the classroom. For example, colleges can grant housing accommodations to ease executive function challenges associated with independent living.

Many accommodations common in high school won’t be relevant for college. Be prepared to consider new accommodations that are specific to a college setting. These include:

College Accommodations

Academic accommodations

  • Priority registration for classes
  • Reduced course load
  • Access to recorded lectures and class notes
  • Flexible deadlines

Housing accommodations

At the start of every semester, students should work with SAS to determine which accommodations they need for each class and request that SAS notify the professors. Students should then meet with each professor to figure out how these accommodations will be structured.

Coaching in College

College academic resource centers offer students writing assistance and tutoring, by peers or professionals. These centers often provide coaching to students with disabilities, either individually or in small groups. Students with executive functioning deficits get help with planning prioritization, and time management. Coaches can help students break down projects into manageable chunks, prioritize a to-do list, and devise a plan of attach for midterms, finals, and more. The scope, frequency, and cost of coaching varies by college.

Programming in College

Many SAS offices provide programming in the form of workshops, seminars, or study sessions. Connecticut College, for example, offers a workshop called “What the EF?” that helps students before midterms and finals, when stress causes weak executive functioning skills to wobble. The workshop teaches students how to schedule their days, carving out time for studying, writing papers, eating, taking breaks, and sleeping.

What if your student is denied services?

If your student’s request for accommodations is denied, you must go through the college’s formal grievance process, which is usually explained on its SAS webpage.

Securing College Accommodations: A Timeline

At Connecticut College, where I work, these are the deadlines to keep in mind when considering accommodations. Timelines vary among colleges.

May 1:

Typical deadline for college deposit

  • Contact SAS to assess required documentation
  • Meet with providers to complete documentation
  • Submit paperwork through college portal
  • Schedule intake appointment to discuss accommodations

June 15:

Typical deadline for housing selection

  • Register for pre-orientation program, if offered

August 1:

Typical deadline for academic accommodations

  • Register for classes (possibly with priority registration)
  • Request facility notification letters be sent to selected faculty

“What College Should I Go To?” Next Steps

Jillian Heilman, Ph.D., CRC, is the Director of Student Accessibility Services at Connecticut College.

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