ADHD and exams – some hints and tips

Whilst this process can be an unfair way of judging your success over a long period of time, examinations still play a primary role in the education and employment sector in determining grades, qualifications and accreditations.

Bring in the effects of ADHD into the exam process and what might’ve been a stressful experience, has the potential to become overwhelming, and impact upon your long-term success.

Fortunately, there are a number of hints and tips that can help you still achieve in exams, with the minimum of stress.

First of all, if you have a diagnosis of ADHD, and you haven’t already done so, I would strongly recommend letting the right people know. This might be your tutor, your head of year, your line manager. Many people can be reluctant to share a diagnosis of ADHD with others, but by doing so, you may be able to access a whole host of assistance in relation to exams.

This could include access to resources that make text easier to read, 1:1 revision or planning support, online guidance that is personalised for your particular speciality, and may also include extra time in the exam itself. I would also suggest to make the disclosure early on in the process, so that you can receive the maximum benefits of any support you are given.

The exam might only be 2 hours long, but it is often the days and weeks leading up to it, that is the real decider of performance in the exam itself. Revision for exams can often pose significant problems in ADHD for a variety of reasons:

• ADHD can lead to difficulty in planning, meaning that you might not set enough time aside for work, or you might miss attending important tutorials or lessons.
• ADHD can cause you to put off tasks that are difficult and time consuming, preferring to work on easier or more rewarding work, and revision is no exception. This might lead to a beautifully prepared revision schedule, but at the expense of progress on the revision itself!
• When sitting down to revise, the ADHD brain can get easily distracted and restless. You may find yourself down a YouTube ‘rabbit hole’ or tidying your room unexpectedly, 10 minutes into your revision session.

Here are some tips to help with your revision:

Try to set aside some time each week to plan your schedule of revision for the following week. Be realistic in what you can achieve, allowing time for being distracted or for other responsibilities. If you can, involve a friend or colleague or family member in this process, to help with motivation and staying on task.
Spend some time thinking about what are the common distractions for you when you are revising, and do what you can to make these distractions less likely to happen. For example, moving your desk if it is facing a window, or giving your phone to someone else when you are revising.

Take regular and planned breaks. After around half an hour of work, a short break is generally beneficial for concentration. Planned breaks give you something to work towards as a reward. This is when you can watch a YouTube video or two. I would also suggest moving out of the room you are revising in, stretching your legs and engaging in some light physical activity, to relieve any restlessness. More vigorous physical activity, such as cycling or running, before starting revision, can help with focus later in the day.

There are many more techniques that might work for you. If you find something is helpful, make a note of this and do it more often. Conversely, if a certain technique or location is not helpful for your revision, make a note of this and try an alternative plan.

Finally, if you have an exam coming up. Good luck! I hope this can be of a little help.

Think you may have ADHD?