College a possibility for ADD person? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

maria1710 · 10-18-2004, 08:09 PM

I am sorry if this is a dumb question, but I don't know anything about ADD. However, my 10 yr old son is suspected of having ADD and he is being evaluated by a psychologist this month.
Just wondering what the future holds for a child with ADD. Are they able to go to college and succeed in a college environment? Are there professionals (ie doctors, lawyers, etc) that have ADD and that take meds for ADD?
My son has always been a very good student--particularly when it comes to taking standardized tests...his scores are phenomenal. If he has ADD, does he have a bright academic future?
Also, on a related topic, a co-worker with adult ADD told me that there is no way that my son has ADD if he can do so well on long, silent, standardized tests. She says an ADD person could not focus well enough in that type of environment. Any ideas as to how or why my son does better on standardized tests than in a regular class environment? Thank you for your input.

JT95 · 10-19-2004, 06:52 AM

ADD folks can go to college and do well in a career. I think a key is understanding the condition and shaping life around its specific needs. Get educated. Go buy a couple of books. Talk to the doctor. Talk to other parents here.

There is no one ADHD type, so it makes it hard to put a person in a class or category. Definite common traits/symptoms among ADD people, but no universal checklist that one mark includes or excludes someone.

It is good that you are addressing the possibility of ADD for your child right now. If diagnosed, by law, schools have to accomodate to specific needs of your child, though I don't always agree with how that is carried out. I have a brother who is full blown dyslexic. He was identified in the 3rd grade, and this was several years ago when most people hadn't heard of dyslexia. I remember watching him as a teen sit at his desk and get red faced or sometimes even cry as he did homework sometimes. However, he went through tutoring at a young age and my parents got educated about his needs. My brother was a very hard worker--very determined--very disciplined, and he graduated third in his class, was very successful in college, and now has a good hospital job.

I think his discipline and structure was the worst predecessor for an ADD child to follow behind..hehee. Anyway, I'm 30 and just recently diagnosed as ADD. I never had the discipline/behavior problems in school, so no one ever thought anything about ADD and no one knew much about it then anyway. I did well in grade school. I did okay in high school. I always had good written language skills, so I was successful at BS-ing my way through tests in a lot of classes. Still, I got the constant "you could do so much better, you're smarter than your report card, if you just cared more about your grades, etc." talks. Anyway, I went to college. Of course it took me six years to finally get my undergraduate degree and that was with summer classes. If your son wants to, he can. May not be easy, but with an understanding of how he ticks from this age and parents who understand, he has a leg up.

As far as standardized tests--I always did well on those. My biggest struggle w/ those, however, was to not doodle cartoons on the bubble sheet. Thank goodness they gave us scrap paper...

HeLLe · 11-19-2004, 09:26 PM

I'm ADHD and in grad school, with straight As. Don't worry!

UMichElyse · 11-26-2004, 11:12 AM

For what it is worth, I am ADD (and OCD) and am a sophomore at teh University of Michigan now, doing well. I do find college VERY VERY difficult without medication, but that all depends on the person. It is medical school that I'm beginning to worry about surviving through. I think the most important thing is that your child learn good study skills prior to college and that he recieves a quality high school education. Make sure he knows the the world is his oyster, growing up, and that he enjoys learning. My psychiatrist is ADD and made it through medical school, my boyfriends mother is ADD and is the best psychologist in her field in the upper region of michigan. ADD people are often of above average intelligence, you just have to make sure ADD doesn't become a roadblock to education. You childs success in high school will be the best predicting factor in his success in college, but even the transiton form high schools structured methods to college's self-teaching methods can be hard. The first month or so of college, I seriosuly wanted to drop out. But now I'm getting straight A's (except for Astronomy...don't ask) and am quite happy with my education. This is probably way too much info, but just know that it all works out in the end.

bishon · 11-28-2004, 01:01 PM

Please read my post on the top of page one of the topics. You will see that it is possible to go to college and earn good grades, but...it will be much easier for your child, if he is being treated for ADD. I wasn't. And in the college I attended, (Ohio State) they have special considerations for "learning impaired students." Don't make my mistake and assume that means slow learners, it means bi-polar and ADD. Unfortunately, I didn't know what my problem was, when I was in college, so I didn't qualify. In the program though, Math students are given ample time to do tests, unlike the 15 minutes I had to do 20 problems. Even with a calculator it was impossible for me. Also medication for the ADD will help tremendously with Essay tests.
Just be sure you tell the college about the problem up front.