Talk about the difference between high school and college with the teen. Ask him to tell you about any academic difficulty he had in high school. Take note of this and then ask him what he finds most difficult about college.
Look at the list of problem areas that the teen has had in high school and is now experiencing. Chances are you will see a pattern of struggling that is related to organizational and study skills. Plan to focus on the areas that the student struggles with the most.
Purchase a day planner or require the student to purchase one. It is essential for helping students with ADHD stay on top of their assignments. Keep in mind that any organizational system for a teen with ADHD must be simple, or it is likely to be abandoned.
Ask the teen for a copy of the syllabus for each course that she is enrolled in. Together, go over assignment due dates and write them in the day planner. Look at papers and projects and help the teen develop a time line to work on the assignments. For example, if a five-page research paper is due at the end of the semester, help the student identify the steps she will need to take in order to complete the paper successfully and add the dates that the steps should be taken to the planner. Include several steps. Purchasing index cards, initial research at the library, outline, rough draft, proofread with tutor and final draft are some of the steps the student may need to take. This level of organization is essential for the teen with ADHD to be successful at task completion.
Use the day planner to block in two hours of time for every course hour the teen is enrolled in. The Rutgers University Counseling and Psychological Services office recommends this along with using the planner to schedule social engagements as well.
Talk to the teen with ADHD about how he organizes his work. Ask him if there are any organizational methods that have worked in the past. If he already has a reliable system, ask to see it and help him make any necessary improvements. If not, purchase or require require purchase of an accordion folder. Ask the student to label it with the names of the courses he is taking. Discuss which papers need to be saved and which can be thrown away. This system can help keep teens with ADHD from losing work that needs to be turned in.
Make a schedule for the student with ADHD to check in with you. It should be frequently—at least once a week. Accountability to a concerned person can help teens who struggle with this disorder stay on track.