Hello. I am 47 and trying to fulfill my dream of completing my bachelors degree. I just attempted to take 2 eight week late start classes at my university and dropped one online class then just didn’t go to my final because I couldn’t find enough time to study. I also had an essay to write and I stressed over it the entire time telling myself I’ll start the essay and when it came down to the writing process I failed. It was too overwhelming. I can memorize 100 systems of the human body but to compose an essay is the death of this semester. I’ll have a W for one class and an F in the other😕 I have a 40+ hour work week as a nanny of 2 one year old twins. My own son is now a sophomore in college and I would think it’s the perfect time for me to do my own thing and get this degree done.
Will I Ever Finish a degree - CHADD's Adult ADH...
Will I Ever Finish a degree
I hope so, have you ask for help to the teachers and counselors? please let me know
I hear your struggle! Writing for my scattered mind can be very challenging. It is one of the reasons that I am an academic life coach and experienced in supporting college students so they complete degrees! Let me know if you want to chat. YOU CAN FINISH!!
Thank you for your reply! I am encouraged when I see total strangers give advice! I have thought about a life coach, because I literally feel I need someone by my side that is not a family member that doesn't get me at all. My family doesn't get my struggles and sometimes I feel they think I'm being too dramatic and always have a problem. Actually, my mom has literally said that to me, causing me to question myself more about pursuing a college education. How would you suggest making it a priority to get a life coach? I have priced them out and they can be pricey in the Denver, COlorado area. One was $99 the other $165 per hour. But, if its something that would benefit my life, it may be worth looking into. I guess my problem with meeting new counselors for the first time is actually getting to the correct point of what I actually need and I don't think they get how desperate I am to be understood.
Hello! You've been great at sharing what you are experiencing in your replies to other people. I do understand and feel your struggle. I work virtually with most of my clients and as a coach, we partner to create a plan you design with accountability and step-by-step planning. We look closely at your personal triggers that move you off track and work closely with inner and hidden motivations that impact your efforts too.
Additionally, I am trained in a variety of study strategies so that your strengths and/or the type of course content influence the approach. You are in control of what the plan looks like, how you want to be held accountable, with most students including weekly sessions or mini-checkins.
The pricing you mentioned is pretty consistent from what I charge, with a semester package providing the most cost effective approach. Actually, the cost of failing a class or paying for a class that you end up withdrawing from is expensive too. As you find the rhythm of succeeding in challenging courses more often, your confidence will grow and you will be stronger mentally in managing distractions and balancing life's demands.
Best to you!
Have you notified your schools disability services that you have ADD and/or ADHD? They can make accommodations for you. You’ll need your doctor to write your diagnosis on a script. I’m dealing with the same thing, I hope to return to school sometime in 2018.
YES! You can do this!!! The Disability Resource Center was extremely helpful for my test anxiety. At 75, I finally finished the BA I started in 1960. YOU CAN DO THIS but take it slowly. One class per term. Online classes are SO MUCH harder because there is a tremendous amount of reading and writing, and not every professor uses\d the same process, which was stressful. For me, campus classes worked much better because I could ask questions. Maybe a night class for you, if no time during day?
Take your time and try to enjoy the process. For me, it took 3 times longer to do everything, but once I accepted and planned for that, I was ok. When doing homework and tests at DRC, take lots of breaks. Close your eyes... try yoga breathing to calm yourself in mini-breaks.
If you need help with writing, there is support for that. Ask an advisor.
Good luck... YOU CAN DO THIS. Slow down so you enjoy the process. Be proud of what you are doing!!!
I really appreciate your comment! I think I replied to another post on your comment, as well. I think my main problem is fearing that I'm getting older, running out of time, already been doing this for so long and then I rush into decisions that don't serve me. I have a hard time accepting that I do need extra time to study and learn and especially when I'm working full-time. If only I could work less and study more. I'm trying to figure out how to make that work. Also, I enjoy free time to recharge and rest, and the constant stress of studying causes me to not want to at all. I just wish I had a better process for everything. I have a desk in my bedroom where I try to be studious, but it doesn't always work. Since my son moved away for college, I'm left with 5 pets to take care of and I continually feel that when I'm at home trying to study, they are all trying to get my attention as well. I find that distracting. I think I want to pursue becoming a veterinarian which will include ALOT of science and chemistry which I have no idea how I will do in those classes. I think I need to learn to accept what I am and not be so embarrassed when I need help from the school services because I am A) older B) should have my life together C) have continued to drop classes due to my own issues.
I feel the same way. I'm a bit younger than you--in my 30s, but I've been struggling with this since my 20s, and the struggle seems to get worse with time.
I feel like one of the reasons it's getting harder is because of my relationship with time. I have this idea of where I want to be when I'm ___ age, etc, etc. And most of my friends are educated, which makes me feel the pressure even more. Additionally, I've always gotten very positive feedback from profs/instructor when I complete my work. The problem is that I can almost never complete my work.
I'd love to talk to you more about this. Since your feelings about it are so similar to mine, perhaps we can find a way to help one another. Like many of us, I can't afford a life coach, but sometimes just having someone to make a plan with can help.
PM me if you want. 
Yes, I have been to the Access Center on my campus, where I did received a partial accommodation while I was still working with the campus psychiatrist. He took about six visits to make sure I had ADHD before he diagnosed me and gave me a prescription for concerta. That was earlier this year in the spring semester, I ended up handing in two very bad essays, but the professors must have pitied me, because I managed to pass. I know not all professors will be that lenient and this time with my Ethics essay, I just couldn't get it done. I lacked planning to get to the campus, my work life was crazy ( I had to do overnights and stay extended hours when the parents were both traveling) and I didnt even get back to the access center to check in with my counselor because I continue to think I can do this on my own, when in fact, I have a problem that I can't continue to fool myself about. I've never done well in school, I was expelled from high school for non-attendance, but then graduated from an alternative high school. I already have 65 college credits (I've already been attending college for 20 years!!!). I've never reached out to the disability center, for lack of knowing they were there and not knowing I had a problem. Even still, its hard to go and meet with them because I feel I'm a smart, grown, adult and can manage life. But, life, work, and college how I do it, just isnt getting me closer to graduation.
I did just that. Unfortunately I have no idea what type of help I need to succeed. At another stand still.
Hi. You can google “college Disability accommodations ADD ADHD”.Here’s an article that may help:
dear stjim:
I'm 48 and this spring will mark 4 years since I completed my Masters and 5 since I completed my BA, both in accounting. In writing to you to tell you yes, you can do it. I did. And that was before I was diagnosed with ADHD. And I did this while working full time, during my divorce while I was raising two children alone and fighting with my ex and going through a financial tsunami. I attended school full time in the evenings in an accelerated adult learner program that consisted of 8 week semesters. And I graduated magna cum laude. It can be done
I personally would not recommend online classes to someone ADHD because of the lack of in person accountability however I also took several myself. For me, the key was to treat them like a regular class and "attend" them on schedule, usually logging in and doing my work at the library. I would pick a night if the week that was class night and then we would pack up and head to the library so I could "attend" class.
I used a lot of tricks and tips to help me. I put everything on my calendar with reminders. I set up a google calendar for all my kids stuff, work things and then had a layer for school stuff. That calendar did - and still does- rule my life and my family knows if it isn't there, it doesn't exist. Most professors provide a pretty detailed schedule on their syllabus so you just put it all on the calendar and set reminders. From there I would work backwards, blocking evenings for study for tests, projects etc. it's simple. If you have a test scheduled for Thursday, clearly you will be blocking out time on Wed to study. And Tues too!
For projects and papers I broke them down too. I know how to do this (and have really good organizational skills.). If this is an area where you need help, meet with your professor and/or the learning center, possibly the disabilities counseling office, to have them help you. Then you schedule that too. Remember, it isn't the choice of calendar that does this, it's you sticking with it. I use a computer based calendar because I used to be a secretary and calendaring was a big part of my job. I was comfortable setting up a fairly complex layered personal calendar system in Google. But you can use a paper calendar you got for free from the bank if you like. The important thing is USING IT. So then I would again work backwards. Paper due May 7 so rough draft due April 27. Then the previous three--four weeks are writing, week before that is outline, week before that is research notecards etc. These got scheduled so I could make sure I was on track.
I tried to set up a couple of homework places. The public library was close to my house so I used that a lot. Plus the school library. Homework at home was at the kitchen table. It helped to remain consistent about this and not doing homework in bed or on the couch because that's also where I relax or sleep and it was too easy to become derailed. My mind works better when I set the tone and stage physically, meaning training myself that "here's your homework spot" and consistently using it. Between that and scheduling it created a good pattern for me and my inattentive mind to follow. Routines are important. As a nanny you know that. I'm sure you have a bedtime or wake up routine for the kids you care for - apply these rules to you and your schooling.
I'm happy to talk to you about this if you like. Trust me, I understand. I've been there. You CAN do this.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I think living with my mother really affects me because she is generally negative towards me. But, I’m looking into a Adhd life coach hopefully that will help! Good luck on your future testing and medical career!!
Holy Moses how I have found my peeps today! I have started by BS in Psych (gee what a shocker!) and at 52 I have 2 courses to go. I think I could perform open-heart surgery better than I could write an essay. The mental deliberation is exhausting! I think it comes down to perfectionism. Please know you are so not alone! My best to you! Lori
How are things going in the degree search or Spring classes?
Hi! I’m not attending because I have a $2,700 bill from fall and can’t pay it. I’m going to do an appeal (which I continue to put off) and hopefully it will be approved. Then the W will be removed and hopefully the tuition refunded. I was thinking back to spring last year and I was in American National Government and I really enjoyed the class. I spent me to the department chair about internships in our state capital. I was pretty excited. I struggled with the final 10 page essay, just like i did for my English Comp and Research class, which I took the semester. I turned in terrible papers Yet both professors passed me. Total sympathy I’m sure. So.......I sit at work every day and contemplate my next moves. Thank you for asking🙂
You can do this! I'm 58 and in my last semester of a masters degree. I have struggled each semester to finish my work but somehow I got it done and I got good grades. I didn't finish my undergrad degree until I was 40. It took 17 years to finish. I wasn't diagnosed until 4 years ago. Have concurrent major depression. Classic underachieving, daydreamer. It's not a race. You have time. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep trying. Good luck! I'll check back in a month to see how you are doing.
Hi! Congratulations!!! I dream of what getting to my masters degree will be like. Can I ask if you had to work full time while attending to your studies? I really want to just go to college and I’m trying to reshape my finances so I won’t have to work so much. It’s all I want to do is be a college student. I see the commercials on tv, like Grand Canyon University, and the woman in the ad looks so studious and I envision being capable enough to get through.
I'm getting my master's online through Harvard Extension School. I have the choice of attending either in person when I can get up to Boston or just logging online for class. I work about 25 hours a week in an unpaid internship. Stinks but the experience is worth it. I hope! I tried to take two classes a semester but it was very, very difficult. I advise you to stick to one class a semester. I also told a lot of people not to call me or to expect anything from me. I didn't walk our dog, I told my husband that I couldn't help him with any of his "projects" any more. I don't even make dinner. They are not happy but that was the only thing I could do to stay on track. I couldn't take care of anybody else. Someone else in this thread gave some great advice which is to assume everything will take you twice as long to finish as your classmates and to plan for that. I never, ever let myself get behind in school work. It's my top priority.
See if your college has a tutoring center and/or a writing center to assist you. My former college where I taught for 25 years has both and I am now retired but work part time as a tutor. Also ask family and friends to read instructions for writing assignments and maybe guide you through the process of getting started and completing your work. All best.
It took me fourteen years, five colleges, and a lot of shifting around what I thought I would study before I finally finished my degree. I had a lot of trouble doing assignments I wasn't interested in, or that overwhelmed me, and I have a lot of really good grades and really terrible grades, but nothing in the middle.
To minimize my chance of failure at the final school where I completed studying, I decided to first take an online course called "Learning How to Learn" on Coursera. (It was free. I actually did all the assignments, which I often don't for online free classes.) I wanted to know how the brain actually stores and retrieves knowledge, and how to optimize my study time and habits. It definitely helped me feel prepared. I experimented with the Pomodoro method for getting myself to write, but honestly, I found that being consistent and writing in the morning and then reading and studying in the evening worked best for me.
The link for the Coursera class, which I highly recommend: coursera.org/learn/learning...
In school, I tried study sessions with friends, but either they distract me because I need to focus and people are asking questions or playing music I can't tune out, or I want to chat instead of doing my work. Its better for me to either study with headphones in a public quiet area (the library, a designated study area, a quiet cafe...) or to study at home.
If there's a writing center at college, go ask them for writing assistance. Or, maybe you work best if you can brainstorm with a friend or classmate before you write things down. You might also try talking to your computer, and then editing what you wrote that way. Writing is hard, but you can do it, and you clearly want to do it, or you wouldn't be asking for help here. You don't even have to like what you write or think its any good.
I accidentally chose a degree that required lots of writing, and by the time I realized that, it was too late to change, since I was so close to being done. Luckily, I found that having to do so much writing actually made it easier in a way, since I knew I had to write a post three times a week, or had a short paper due every week, plus several long ones.
I read the notes my professors gave me, even though its hard for me to look at feedback since I always assume they'll tell me I did everything wrong. Most of the comments were just pointing out what professors thought was interesting, or suggesting ways to make my point clearer, or to delve more deeply, or reminding me what I forgot to include.
Preferably, I would have a friend read my papers to help me edit before I turned them in, but I did not have the time for that, since I worked right up to the deadline many times. Still, if there's any way you can have a friend to keep you accountable to getting your writing done, and who you trust to encourage rather than guilt you into doing things, please enlist them. You'll benefit from a support team.
I do have a few questions for you, though. Can you go to school part-time and focus on a single class at a time? Or do you need the variety of a few classes in order to give you the motivation to focus? Do you have to take things online, or does in person work better? Maybe you can take some free online classes for now until you have the time to take classes for credit.
For me, I like online when it's a pre-req I have to get through but I already know the subject well. I don't like online when I want to get deep into a subject and pick the professor's brains.
What gets me fired up to finish my bachelors degree is the fact that I have $80 k in student loans and no degree. I want to finish what I began because I’m already heavily invested and still need to pay for private loans to do so. I’ve done so many degree progress reports to see how close I am to ANY degree. I feel If I could just get a 4 year degree so many doors would open up for me. I’ve quit considering veterinarian and have thought geology, accounting, and now Spanish teacher. The thing is I was expelled from high school in 11 th grade for lack of attending and I never had all the algebra and science because I graduated from an alternative school. I want to prove I can learn algebra, calculus, and chemistry for the degrees that require it, but is it the adhd or do I lack the smarts to actually do this at 48?? I’m not taking any medicine because I just don’t understand how it will help me. 🙁
Seriously, check out the Learning How to Learn course. And get someone who you trust to hold you accountable AND encourage you, or be a body double when you need to sit down and do assignments but need that extra motivation. You don't have to do this alone.
Also, if your school has a health center with therapists, make an appointment to talk about your school struggles, and (as long as they take you seriously) go back monthly or weekly throughout the rest of your degree. You need to talk to someone about how you feel ADHD has impacted your ability to succeed in school, or they'll keep popping up to haunt you when you need to focus on other things and not beat yourself up.
Are there really no examples of anyone diagnosed with ADHD as a juvenile obtaining a doctorate?
I've had a revelation
First therapy appointment ever. 
Will I ever be like a normal person?
