My Story
Hey there! I'm Nicholas, the founder and chief tutor of NeuroAdvantage, a tutoring practice dedicated specifically to serving neurodivergent (ADHD or Autism) learners of all levels to improve their academic knowledge, cognitive skills, and homework routines.
I founded this practice after a lifetime growing up as an undiagnosed, but high performing ADHD/autistic child. My personal experience taught me the challenges of being a student with ADHD and autism, and how frustrating it can be for parents who know there’s a problem, but aren’t sure how to help.
Traditional K-12 education systems and approaches aren't designed for neurodivergent learners. When your child falls behind, this educational model often doesn’t have the time or resources to provide your child the 1:1 support and skills they need to not only catch up, but keep up and get ahead. My mission is to help your child solve the problems holding them back in school and keeping them from reaching the levels of success you know they can achieve.
I learned the hard way; let me help your child learn the easy way
I learned most of the academic lessons and skills I teach "the hard way,” after running into plenty of speed bumps in my journey to success. With traditional academic approaches, it took me 6 years to achieve a Bachelor's degree. Meanwhile, a life-altering spinal injury during the school year ended my firefighting career and almost forced my withdrawal from university entirely.
Despite those challenges, I persevered and learned the 'not taught in school' lessons that are core to my plans for your neurodivergent student's success: setting goals, building plans, managing stress, organizing my thoughts, taking good notes, learning when to ask for help, creating positive routines, and staying goal-oriented. I won competitive selections for research assistant & teaching assistant positions, while earning a Dean’s list appearance and graduating with a Bachelor’s, a minor, and most importantly - a good job offer. I knew then that success was possible, but I would have to create it on my own terms.
There’s a world of difference between learning about challenges, and overcoming those challenges yourself
After a few years in corporate consulting I returned to tutoring, splitting time between my private practice and working for Southern Methodist University’s College Access Program, tutoring children in Dallas PS magnet schools. I quickly found that my favorite long-term private clients were all neurodivergent. Their parents universally reported difficulty focusing, fighting distractions, staying organized, and meeting deadlines as their biggest academic barriers - problems I knew from experience how to solve.
I emptied my bag of personal tricks learned from a lifetime of studying and teaching with ADHD/Autism, and when students needed more still I created new routines & resources like 'Pencil Yoga' and 'Rules Before Giving Up.' My goal was to give them tools to stay on track in the other 99.4% of their week between sessions, not realizing that I was actually distilling and passing on my own hard-won neurodivergent secrets to success.
I returned to corporate America in a national leadership role at HelloFresh before parlaying that success into a leadership role with Amazon. I took advantage of my opportunities, identifying and seeking out multiple roles that required me to change my focus quickly, shift priorities on a dime, obsess over details, and multi-task complex projects. I turned my neurodivergence into a strength - not a weakness - and knew I could help teach others to do the same.
My Approach
If you aren’t sure how to "speak your child's language," don’t worry. I’m fluent, and I can translate
My approach isn't just what worked for me; it's based on the techniques and educational support framework I've developed over years of experience tutoring neurodivergent students and neurotypical students. These tools apply to all curriculums ranging from Montessori middle schoolers and high school magnet programs up to college graduate students. These aren't just skills for math and reading, they're skills for life.
Each new client relationship starts with a phone consultation to learn more about your child's unique challenges impacting their academic success, and their natural talents & interests that I'll use to help them build confidence in their abilities and stay engaged. When your child learns from someone who has authentically lived their experience and intuitively “speaks their language,” a new world of possibility and growth opens up. My favorite moments are watching them solve a problem they were sure was “impossible” for them to understand; these are the days when your child's self-worth and self esteem grow permanently, by leaps and bounds.
If they're so smart, why can't they get the basic stuff right?
Neurodivergence doesn't just impact the students; parenting an ADHD or autistic child comes with a sometimes alien set of challenges that seem to get harder with age. These parents know each day is different, and some days just getting them to accomplish “the basics” can be a battle unto itself. It's a universal truth that engaged, involved parents are critical to academic success for any child, but it doesn't mean parents always know what works best for neurodivergent learners.
I know that a consistent, positive structure fitting your child’s and family’s needs is the #1 factor in student success. I give parents the resources they need to engage their child without hovering, and support students while holding them accountable. Improved grades are the ultimate goal, and better results come from better habits which come from better structure. When parents are better equipped to support and challenge their neurodivergent students, it turns homework time from nightly battles to bonding moments.
If the standard approach worked for your child, it would already be working.
Neurodivergent students spend their days living in a world that doesn't seem to make sense or follow its own rules, filled with people who speak a different language entirely. Providing the specialized assistance they might need doesn’t bubble wrap them; it puts the guidance in terms that challenge, but don’t confuse them. I specialize in speaking your neurodivergent child’s language and explaining things directly in ways that your child - and you - can understand.
If my story sounded familiar, or my approach sounded like the spark your child needs, or if you’ve still got questions, please use the form below to contact me, or schedule a learning session to see how I can help make a positive improvement in your child’s life.