4 Tips to Help Neurodivergent Students Prepare for College

Heading off to college is one of the most exciting, and stressful, times in a young adult’s life—especially for neurodivergent students.

On top of all the normal preparation like getting all the supplies, electronics, and other necessities ready to go, neurodivergent students must research the resources and accommodations that are available to them through the institution—and then prepare and submit all sorts of documents to qualify for them. Preparing for college can become overwhelming in a hurry.

At CLE, we work with neurodivergent students across the country to help them transition successfully to higher learning institutions. We recommend the following tips and tactics, regardless of diagnosis, to help students build confidence and alleviate stress as they head off to campus.

Allow plenty of time to gather accommodations documents

One of the biggest adjustments neurodivergent students must make in the transition to higher education is the need to submit multiple documents for accommodations.

Many high school students who have an individual education program (IEP) or a 504 plan are used to those accommodations being in place when they arrive at school. This may not be the case at institutions of higher learning, where students need to register with the accessibility office on campus before submitting any documents.

On top of that, each institution’s accessibility office has different requirements. If you haven’t begun researching what the requirements are to receive accommodations at your school, now is the time to start. Head to the institution’s website and start exploring, and if you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to call the accessibility office directly. Calling the office is also a great way to practice self-advocacy (more on self-advocacy below).

But you don’t need to wait until you have all the specifics before you begin gathering your documents. For example, if you are due for a psychoeducational evaluation, go ahead and get it done. Now is a great time for an updated assessment and overview of accommodations that will benefit you.

Practice speaking up for yourself

In addition to taking the initiative with documentation, students must also be more proactive when it comes to advocating for themselves at college. This is true for the accessibility office and with professors, too. In high school, it’s common for students’ needs and learning styles to be automatically integrated into their studies after initial meetings or document submission. However, this isn’t always the case at the collegiate level.

Advocating for yourself isn’t always easy and can cause anxiety or nervousness. But your self-advocacy skills will improve each time you use them. That’s why we recommend practicing these skills before going to school. Role-playing with a parent, sibling, or someone else you trust is a great way to do this.

Start tracking your time in a calendar

The freedom and independence students gain at college can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you can eat, study, watch TV, scroll TikTok, etc. whenever you want. However, you will fall behind quickly if you don’t manage your time wisely.

In fact, how you choose to spend and manage your time is an indicator of your ability to get to class on time, manage your course requirements, arrive to work when you’re supposed to, etc.

It sounds simple, but using a calendar is a huge first step toward mastering time management. Make calendar entries for everything you have going on in a day. Include high-priority things like classes, tutors, and work, but also be sure to include study sessions, socializing, and free time.

While it may seem a little extra to schedule free time in your calendar, it’s a good way to motivate you into getting all your important things done before your free time kicks in so you can fully enjoy it without worry.

Schedule your own appointments

Nothing will help you build time management skills faster than taking control of your own schedule.

Work with the people around you to start making decisions about new or upcoming additions to your schedule. For example, find out how your doctor appointments are scheduled and work with your parent or someone you trust on what scheduling an appointment looks like, how to tell if a new appointment will fit into your schedule, how to reschedule an appointment, etc.

Similarly, practice finding a social activity and checking your calendar to see if you have the time to do it. If so, work on adding the important details (what the event is, location, time, etc.) to your calendar.

College Living Experience (CLE) Academic Coordinators are there to help students along the way as they transition to higher learning. Once students are accepted to CLE, our team begins to work with students to learn about campus systems, follow the appropriate steps to register for accommodations, and prepare for local site orientations – everything from campus tours to buying books.