College readiness isn’t just about academics — it’s equally about relationships, communication, and emotional awareness. In this conversation with Emerging’s Founder & CEO, Laura Barr, we explored the soft skills that help students with ADHD thrive socially and personally in college.
The session highlighted the real-world skills that make independence sustainable and success meaningful:
- Building Authentic Friendships: We discussed how students can move from convenience-based high school friendships to intentional, lasting connections in college. One prompt Laura recommended: “What helps you feel connected to people?”
- Handling Conflict & Repair: Families learned why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how repair work builds resilience, emotional confidence, and trust.
- Upleveling Social & Communication Skills: Laura shared practical strategies for emailing professors, joining new communities, and collaborating with peers — often challenging areas for students with ADHD.
- Managing Impulsivity & Emotional Regulation: The session covered tools students can use to pause, reflect, and redirect before emotions take over.
- Using Resources & Anchors: We emphasized normalizing help-seeking and identifying academic, social, and emotional supports that help students stay grounded and successful.
Outcomes – By the end of the session, parents, students, and educators walked away with:
- A deeper understanding of the soft side of college readiness — and why it matters just as much as academics
- Conversation prompts and strategies to help build these habits at home
- Insight into how self-awareness, communication, and connection support long-term success for students with ADHD
Resources from this Episode
- Presentation – The Soft Side of ADHD College Readiness
- Launch Checklist
- The Naked Roommate
- From Dorm to Doorstep
- Table Topics (Conversation Cards)
- Michelle Garcia Winner – Social Thinking Resources for Tweens & Teens
- Social Thinking Resources for Young Adults and Adults
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