Not All Colleges Are Created Equal—Especially for ADHD
College Student with ADHD
Your child is getting ready to go to college. They’ve been well supported in high school with an IEP or 504 Plan. Their ADHD medication is optimized. You assume the next step is simple: contact the college’s disability department, transfer accommodations, and move forward.Smooth sailing, right?
The short answer: not always.
ADHD Accommodations in College: What’s Different?
One of the biggest surprises for families is that colleges are not governed by the same laws as K–12 schools. In elementary and high school, students are protected under:
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)'
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
K–12 schools are required to:
Identify students with disabilities
Provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Actively support student success
Colleges operate very differently.
Colleges and universities are covered by:
ADA Title II (public colleges)
ADA Title III (private colleges)
Under the ADA, colleges must provide equal access, not guaranteed success or individualized instruction.
What Colleges Are Required to Do
Once a student discloses a disability, colleges must:
Provide reasonable accommodations
Ensure non-discrimination
Maintain confidentiality
Engage in an interactive process with the student
However, how colleges define and implement these requirements varies widely.
Why Documentation Requirements Vary So Much
Each college sets its own documentation standards. This means:
Some colleges accept prior IEPs or 504 Plans
Some accept documentation from a primary care provider
Some require updated documentation
Others require a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation completed within the last 3 years
In other words—it can feel like the rules are all over the place.
Where to Start
Once a student is enrolled—or even while deciding where to apply—it’s important to contact the school’s disability services office. These offices may be called:
Disability Services
Accessibility Services
Academic Support
Learning Resource Center
Equity or Access Office
Academic Success Center
If the person answering the phone is a student worker and cannot clearly explain documentation requirements, ask to speak with the director or coordinator for clarification.
My Advice to Families
If you discover that your college requires more extensive documentation, don’t panic.
Submit what you already have. Even if documentation doesn’t appear to meet formal requirements, many colleges will accept it or show flexibility.
Ask about on-campus testing. Some colleges offer psychological testing—but be aware that waitlists can be long. I have had students report delays of 6–9 months just to begin testing.
Consider private testing if needed. If going private is an option, speak openly with the psychologist about:
Your specific accommodation needs
Completing only the testing required to meet the college’s criteria This can significantly reduce costs.
Be proactive outside the system. Many students benefit from:
Executive function coaching
Academic skill-building strategies
Medication optimization and follow-up with a trained provider
Support doesn’t end just because a semester has started.
Does ADHD Life Medical Associates Provide Neuropsychological Testing?
Currently, we do not provide full neuropsychological evaluations.We partner with local psychologists when further assessment is necessary. This is intentional—comprehensive neuropsychological testing is often not recommended for ADHD alone and can be prohibitively expensive.
What we do offer:
Affordable, time-efficient cognitive testing
Baseline cognitive data to inform treatment
Practical recommendations for coaching and academic support
This allows us to look at the whole picture, not just a diagnosis.
Helpful Resources for Families
For further education on college accommodations and the transition from high school to college, these resources are excellent:
Understood.org – A great starting point for overwhelmed families
Wrightslaw.com – In-depth explanations of education and disability law
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights – Information on disability rights in higher education and how to file a complaint if accommodations are denied