College Success with ADHD: Strategies for Thriving | Episode 003
Guest: Brandon Slade
TIPS
TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE
Top Tips from This Episode
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Organize.
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Use visual tools.
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Move before studying.
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Use an accountability partner.
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Double down on your strengths.
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Address weaknesses with structure.
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Practice self-compassion.
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Remember: these strategies help everyone — not just students with ADHD.
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Build consistent routines.
-
Discipline equals freedom.
EPISODE
Summary
Transitioning to college can be overwhelming for any student — but for students with ADHD, the shift in structure, independence, and expectations can be especially challenging and full of opportunity. ADHD brings creativity, energy, and nonlinear thinking, but those strengths shine brightest when paired with systems and routines that support executive function.
In this episode of The College Talk Show, Chris Bell talks with Brandon Slade, founder of Untapped Learning, about how students with ADHD can thrive in college. Brandon shares his own journey, including the struggles he faced as a college athlete learning to manage ADHD for the first time. His experience led him to create Untapped Learning, where he now helps students build habits, structure, and confidence.
Chris and Brandon explore practical tools — movement, visual systems, organized routines, accountability partners, and self-compassion — that help students stay on track academically and emotionally. They also discuss why many of these strategies are “best practices for everybody,” not just students with ADHD.
Whether you're a student preparing for the transition to college, a parent looking for ways to support your teen, or an educator working with neurodivergent learners, this episode offers realistic, actionable advice for navigating college successfully with ADHD.
GUEST
About The Guest
Brandon Slade is the founder of Untapped Learning, an executive function coaching organization supporting middle school, high school, and college students across the country. A former educator and coach, Brandon brings deep understanding of ADHD — both through his professional experience and his own lived journey as a student learning how to manage neurodivergence without tools.
Untapped Learning helps students develop systems for organization, routines, communication skills, executive function, and follow-through — all essential tools for thriving in college. Brandon’s philosophy blends neuroscience, structure, movement, and accountability to help students unlock their strengths and build the habits they need for long-term success.
Transcript
Intro
College is full of distractions. You’ve got clubs, friends, fun, freedom. Add ADHD to the mix and it can be a lot. But there are tools and approaches that can help you succeed in college.
And here's a secret: the tools that support students with ADHD? They’re great for everyone.
It’s The College Talk Show. Today’s theme: Navigating College with ADHD, with special guest Brandon Slade.
And now here’s your host, Chris Bell.
Setting the Stage
College is hard for everyone, but for students with ADHD, the transition from high school to college can be especially challenging. ADHD isn’t about intelligence — it’s about executive function, focus, follow-through, and structure.
But ADHD brings strengths as well: creativity, nonlinear thinking, energy. When paired with structure, those strengths can shine.
All it takes are some strategies — weekly routines, movement, visual tools, accountability, self-compassion. And that’s what we’re talking about today.
Meet Brandon
Welcome back. I am so happy to have Brandon Slade here. I’ve known Brandon a while. He’s the founder of Untapped Learning, a former educator, and an executive function coach who really understands ADHD. I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to share.
Chris: Brandon, I’m so happy you’re here. Thanks for joining me.
Brandon: I’m grateful to be here. I’ve always looked up to you and your work — you’re an amazing advocate for kids.
Brandon’s Story
Chris: What inspired you to start Untapped Learning?
Brandon: Honestly, my own struggles. I’ve always had hyperactive ADHD — I was the kid flipping desks and jumping on tables. I made it through school okay, but when I went to college on a football scholarship, I bombed my freshman year.
I couldn’t manage academics, athletics, and social life. I didn’t have tools to be independent. Luckily I had great mentors who helped me through it, and that inspired the work we do now.
A lot of students don’t realize that the same neural pathways they use to learn lines in a play or memorize drills in a sport are the ones they use in college. These skills transfer.
Common Challenges for Students with ADHD
Chris: What challenges do students with ADHD face academically when they go to college?
Brandon: The biggest one is putting everything together. How do you organize your life so you can get everything done? How do you develop routines so you’re not always running around with your hair on fire?
Many students are used to highly structured days. They’ve never had to start tasks independently or balance their entire life themselves.
Tools for Success
Chris: So routines are important. What tools do you suggest?
Brandon: Start with routines. What’s their productivity place — a certain coffee shop, the library, a specific desk? Then teach an organizational system. Even at top schools, lots of students don’t have one.
The brain is for having ideas, not holding ideas. Students think they can keep everything in their head, but eventually they can’t. We need to give them a foundational system.
How Parents and Supporters Can Help
Chris: What can parents or supporters do?
Brandon:
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Teach an organizational system.
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Teach routines.
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Teach habits.
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Then — and this is the hardest part — let them fail a little bit in high school so they can face natural consequences.
Safe failures build resilience.
Reframing ADHD
Chris: What do you say to someone who believes ADHD will hold them back?
Brandon: ADHD has amazing strengths and real challenges. Like any cognitive profile, if you double down on your strengths and systematize your weaknesses, you’ll be okay.
We use the Navy SEAL “discipline equals freedom” mentality. If I can help a college student with ADHD build the discipline to spend 30 minutes at office hours, that discipline saves them hours later.
Thinking differently is a good thing — if you build structure around it.
These Tools Help Everyone
Chris: These tools seem universal. Do they help students without ADHD too?
Brandon: Absolutely. They’re best practice for everyone — essential if you have ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, or you’re on the spectrum, but great for all students.
Movement is a great example. Fifteen minutes of exercise before studying outperforms Adderall in some clinical studies for attention, learning, and memory. It’s essential for ADHD, but great for everyone.
Inside Untapped Learning
Chris: Tell me about Untapped Learning.
Brandon: We work with middle school, high school, and college students nationwide. We meet multiple times per week and work on executive function — routines, communication, strategies, accountability.
We help students transition from the structure of home to the unstructured world of college.
Closing Thoughts
Brandon, thank you. Your work is incredible, and your insights are powerful.
Top Tips
Top tips.
Top tips.
Kind of a summary — but we call it top tips.
Here are today’s Top Tips for Navigating College with ADHD:
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Organize.
-
Use visual tools.
-
Move before studying.
-
Use an accountability partner.
-
Double down on your strengths.
-
Address weaknesses with structure.
-
Practice self-compassion.
-
Remember: these strategies work for everyone.
-
Build consistent routines.
-
Discipline equals freedom.
That’s your list, and that’s The ADHD Show.
Thanks again to Brandon Slade — and remember, college is awesome.