51. From IEP to Independence: Helping Neurodivergent Students Succeed in College

What happens when a neurodivergent student who had an IEP or other support in school heads to college?In this episode of Trust Me Mom, I speak with Dr. Tara Williams, educator, author, speaker, founder of Innovative Collegiate Consultants, and author of The Neurodivergent Student Journey: Breaking Out of the Box.We discuss what changes when students transition from high school to college, especially for students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, executive function challenges, anxiety, and other learning differences.Dr. Williams shares practical advice for helping students become more independent without taking away the support they still need. We talk about self-advocacy, college accommodations, executive function, organization, time management, perfectionism, asking professors for help, and learning through low-risk failures.00:00 Introduction01:22 Dr. Tara Williams’ journey into higher education04:11 What is executive function?05:48 How neurodivergent students can stay on track07:32 Building independence before college08:26 Why self-advocacy is critical10:40 Perfectionism, anxiety and accepting support11:51 Why small failures can help students grow13:04 How college accommodations differ from IEPs and 504 Plans14:59 How students can advocate with professors15:57 Preparing neurodivergent students for the workplace18:21 College resources parents may not know about20:18 Choosing a college with the right support system21:56 What happens when a student becomes overwhelmed23:17 The strengths and gifts of neurodivergent students24:27 There is always hope25:26 How to connect with Dr. Tara WilliamsYou’ll also learn:• Why self-advocacy may be one of the most important predictors of college success• How college accommodations differ from an IEP or 504 Plan• Why students should connect with accessibility services before the semester begins• How parents can gradually step back without abandoning their student• What to do when executive function makes it difficult to start assignments• Why the organization system that works for a parent may not work for their child• How perfectionism can contribute to late or unfinished assignments• What parents should look for when choosing a college• How neurodivergent students can build skills that prepare them for the workplace• Why community college or a different educational path can sometimes be the right choiceOne of Dr. Williams’ most important messages for parents: there is always hope.#NeurodivergentStudents #ADHDCollege #AutismCollege #ExecutiveFunction #CollegeTransition #Neurodiversity #CollegeAccommodations #IEP #504Plan #ADHDStudents #AutisticStudents #Dyslexia #ParentingNeurodivergentKids #CollegeParents #SelfAdvocacy #TrustMeMom