Philip’s ADHD flew under the radar until fourth grade, when his family relocated to a new city. His mom couldn’t figure out how to keep his “fidgets” under control; by the time he hit high school, the number of hours he spent each night doing homework “just to keep up” was overwhelming.
All this took a significant toll on his social skills development; Philip and his mom agree he “had zero friends.” As Philip says, classmates didn’t know he had ADHD or the struggles he faced. In the end, they simply avoided him.
Spending three to four hours on homework each evening paid off when Philip graduated from high school in 2012 with a GPA of 3.0, but the long hours of schoolwork left him feeling unmotivated and depressed. For two years, Philip drifted aimlessly: doing odd jobs, working irregularly for his father’s contracting company or “not doing anything.” His parents hoped he would be the first in the family to go to college. That seemed an unlikely goal until a family friend suggested they consider Beacon College.
Philip visited the campus between semesters. Without the distraction of other students during his campus tour and advising session, Philip was able to focus on what really mattered — the level of academic support, the writing centers and the quiet study rooms in the Beacon College library. His mother, Taya, says, “Philip felt he could succeed at Beacon.”
Enrolled at Beacon College since August 2014, Philip is still working on carving his career path, earning all A’s and B’s. For now, his plan is to complete an A.A. in psychology until he discovers what he’s truly passionate about.
