Counseling Center

Tips for LD/ADHD University Students

Set realistic goals and priorities for course work. This might mean, for example, limiting your involvement in extra-curricular activities or taking a reduced course load during your first semester or when you’re taking particularly demanding courses. College-level work and related assignments are often much more difficult and time-consuming than in high-school.
Become knowledgeable about your disability and both confident in and adept at describing your disability and related needs to others. There are lots of students (as well as staff/faculty) who also have disabilities—there’s no need to be ashamed at being “different” or asking for “special help!”
Tell your professors about your disability and recommended accommodations early in the semester! In the process, try to get to know your professors and have them get to know you.
Sit at/near the front of the class to ensure you can see and hear adequately, as well as to minimize distractions.
Make it a habit use a palm-pilot/day-planner to record all due dates, meetings, and responsibilities. Be sure to write all of these things only in one place: Your palm-pilot/day planner. Also, make it a habit to carry your palm-pilot/day-planner with you always so you can add things as they come up.
lf you are allowed to tape record lectures, use a tape recorder with a “counter” on it. When you don’t understand something in class, write down the counter number. Then you can go back to review just that section of the tape. (You won’t have time to re-listen to all of your lectures all of the time.)
If you learn better by “thinking out loud” or working with others, start study/discussion groups for your classes.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or having trouble in a class, speak with the instructor immediately! College professors expect students to come to their offices with questions or to discuss what they’re learning; that’s partly why they have “office hours”—times when professors are guaranteed to be in their offices to meet with students. Also, do your best to be prepared with specific questions or, at least, to be able to identify your specific concerns.
If particular subjects (like foreign language or math) are difficult for you, consider taking them during the summer (if available) when you can focus exclusively on those courses. Alternatively, you could take these courses at another college/university and transfer the credits. Be mindful, however, that not all credits from other schools are accepted at SIU. Discuss this with your academic advisor before registering for the course.

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