Case Studies

Case Study — Josh

Young adult with ADD believes he can't handle college academics

"What is Josh going to do with his life?"

Situation Josh is a twenty-year-old young adult who struggled through high school and graduated two years ago. He was diagnosed with an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at the age of ten, yet never received any special services in school.

Because of his academic challenges, Josh hesitated to consider college. Instead, he got a job and lives at home with his parents. Unfortunately, most of his friends went off to college; and Josh's job is routine, offering him no real satisfaction. He's becoming depressed and his parents worry that he's not developing into a mature self-sufficient adult. Both Josh and his parents recognize his many talents—for instance, he's quite mechanical and a computer "whiz"—but they are concerned that he can't complete college successfully.

Key Factors

• Josh is a young adult with ADHD living with his parents.
• He went to work after high school because neither he nor his parents believed he could handle college academics.
• Josh is unsatisfied with his work and is becoming depressed.

What is Josh's potential?  Is college a realistic option?  If so, what would he need to make the experience successful?  If college isn't the best option, what is a good alternate path?

Resolution SS&A performed a comprehensive and up-to-date psycho-educational evaluation to help Josh identify his strengths and areas where he would need help in a college program. Josh also had a consult with a medical doctor and started a regime of medication to address the ADHD. SS&A advised Josh to enroll in a community college, which offered strong resource support and a gradual reintroduction to an academic environment.

After two productive years at the community college, during which Josh learned to access the Student Support Center and use tools such as voice-activated software and computer-assisted reading, he transferred to a four-year program and is pursuing a bachelor's degree.

SS&A helped Josh and his parents by:

• Counseling Josh and his parents that he still had time to pursue college or some post-secondary training program if he wanted to.
• Helping Josh locate a community college program that could address his needs.
• Coaching Josh through his transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree program.