SAT, ACT and standardized testing are words that every student dreads – ADHD or not. So much studying and preparation take place that it’s not a stretch for students (and parents) to call the whole process a nightmare.

What’s worse, the popular study guides, workbooks, and standardized test prep for kids aren’t typically tailored for students with learning disabilities (LD) and ADHD. And, while parents of these students spend a lot of time looking for the best fit for their child’s specific needs (doctor, school, etc.), specialized test prep is often overlooked.

“The needs of an LD or ADHD student going into test prep are different than the general population,” says Jenn Cohen, CEO and Lead Tutor of LaunchPad Education.

It’s important to recognize that just because your child struggles with standardized test taking, it doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of being successful at it. Take, for instance, typical big-box test prep classes: they’re very structured, very long (three hours!) and the teacher is teaching very specific content.

“These kids, they learn differently, their brains work differently, (and so) the way the content is delivered is going to need to be different,” Jenn says. In this podcast, she and Elaine discuss how tutors might change the approach from traditional methods to meet the needs of kids whose brains are wired differently.