Autism Goes To College

For Dom Z., Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts was an endless buffet of opportunities. In this episode of Autism Goes to College , Dom shares with Katharine how he made it across the finish line while immersing himself in campus life, student government, clubs, and the music scene. Plus, he updates us on his personal quest to make life better for every student on campus who might have i...

For Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, Autism Goes to College host Katharine O’Brien sits down with Dr. Barry Prizant, pioneering autism researcher, advocate, author, and host of the Uniquely Human podcast. Named after his bestselling book, Uniquely Human , the podcast reflects Dr. Prizant’s long-standing impact on the autism community. For Katharine, this is a dream conversation with one of t...

As an aspiring filmmaker and journalism major, Quincy chose SUNY New Paltz for its strong academic options, lively college-town atmosphere, and food scene. He found all of that there, and as he wraps up a busy four years, Quincy reflects on his academic path, a mentorship program he joined first as a mentee and later as a mentor, launching his own podcast, writing for campus publications, and brin...

Abigail is in her second semester at Kent State University, and she’s thriving. She chose Kent State’s non-degree program for students with autism after comparing several autism support programs and deciding this campus offered the right mix of courses, dorm life, activities, and being close enough to home for weekend support. In this episode, Abigail shares what took adjusting during her first se...

Myles has already been accepted to 10 colleges —and as an autistic student, having real options feels both exciting and overwhelming. A drummer who plans to major in Music or Art History , Myles cast a wide net across the country, looking for schools with strong programs in his interests and meaningful supports for students on the autism spectrum. His list includes: Trinity University (San Antonio...

Blake and Ishaan are loving life on campus, taking classes and working at internship jobs. Both are part of the UCDavis Redwood SEED Scholar program, which supports California students (ages 18-23) on the spectrum (and with other learning differences) who want a full college experience. For Blake, now a third-year student, that includes the program's foundational classes in math and language...

Lindsey W. is killing it in her classes. She’s now a junior at Appalachian State in Boone, NC, and has a few strategies helping her tackle the more intense coursework in her major, communication sciences. Neuroanatomy and physiology aren’t easy, but she’s doing it. She’s made friends in her classes and joined study groups, and continues to go to her professors’ office hours. She’s also part of Chr...

This fall there's been a firehose of autism news --  stirring up old controversies, confusing parents and families, impacting students on the spectrum now at college, and even challenging autism researchers. In this special episode, host Katharine O'Brien talks with Dr. Katherine Meltzoff, professor of education at UCRiverside and director of the SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center abou...

Both Jasmine and Aniella graduated from UCRiverside and found jobs pretty quickly doing what they hoped to do. For Jasmine, putting her engineering degree to work on a project with the California Department of Transportation was a dream job, while Aniella still feels lucky to be working in the entertainment industry in LA. But after a few years in the work world, both decided to go back for more s...

Peri begins her junior year at UCLA this fall quarter, and she's back to tell the story of her decision to transfer from a small liberal arts college in the northeast to a big public university much closer to home. UCLA is the most applied-to school in the country. So how did she do it? And why? In this episode, Peri talks about her decision to leave Hamilton, how it went taking classes at Sa...

When Jose Perez finished high school in Massachusetts, he took the advice of counselors who advised him to check out the range of opportunities at his local community college. He says it's been all good - Jose has taken courses towards certification to become an educational paraprofessional, some music classes, an ASL course, and participates in several campus organizations and clubs, includi...

Tony Yau shared every twist and turn in his college career with the Autism Goes to College audience. From his first semester at the University of Oregon to a re-orienting stopover at community college and on to St. Mary's, Tony's been generous with his candid takes on college life. Some of his insights: Don't over do it with DoorDash, don't hesitate to switch majors, or, even c...

In this special edition ep, Autism Goes to College goes to college with this live event taping recorded at UCLA. Two students, Jenny M. and Danny N. share their stories of navigating from community college to UCLA with our host, Katharine O'Brien. Insights include hacks and how-tos for transfer students, accessing evaluations and accommodations, and how mental health counseling might make all...

L chose a college experience that started out at the liberal arts-focused, smaller Oxford College campus of Emory University. Coming from a small school in Savannah, it was a choice that felt like a great fit for a lot of reasons. Smaller class sizes, a smaller student body, and less chaotic than the giant campus and Atlanta scene that are part of a typical Emory experience. Academically, L found...

The number of neurodivergent students in college keeps rising. Around 20% of college students have diagnosed or undiagnosed autism, ADHD, dyslexia or some other processing or neurological difference, according to expert estimates. But very few campuses provide faculty with training in how to meet the learning needs of these students in their classrooms. NeuroPrep, an online course for college inst...

When Dom transferred to Bridgewater State in Bridgewater, MA. from a community college, he shared on an earlier episode of the pod that he planned to move into the dorms after a semester.  Instead, he ultimately decided to continue commuting- both to save some money and enjoy the support of his parents. But Dom is deeply involved with campus life. He became an Orientation Leader (which did include...

Expectations may vary. Some students on the spectrum find that community college is a good next step. Many want to take a gap year, get some work experience or travel. Others are eager to head off to a four year college. Neurodivergent neurodiversity education advocate Amanda Morin says the time to start talking about post- high school transition planning is early. Because what a student wants and...

River loves the varied and welcoming communities across campus and has found a home in many creative spaces at Wesleyan, including dance and a literary society. But freshman year was also a time of confronting their learning style, and navigating the structural conventions that pre-med students face. They negotiated successfully with some professors to modify testing formats, and earned top grades...

Meet Dr. Naz Zerka. He's a therapist who meets with students on campus at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana - a college well known for its prestigious engineering school and other STEM programs, which means there's a steady flow of students on the spectrum who wind up seeking guidance. Naz says some of the students who find their way to his office are aware they have autism, o...

Sam is a grad student at Adams State University in Colorado where he's working towards a Master's in Psychology. It's a program that's mostly online and meets in person one week a month. That hybrid situation is a good fit for Sam, who had mixed experiences as an undergrad. He felt overwhelmed at times, didn't always love dorm living, and took a medical leave for part of o...

Lindsey loved her freshman year. She's majoring in communication sciences and disorders, and made the dean's list both semesters. She accessed the accommodations she needed and says she benefitted from getting to know her professors during office hours. Dorm life was more challenging, and this year her accommodations include a single room. She tried out some clubs, and found the Neurodiv...

You’ll need to eat at college and that can get complicated, especially if you’re looking for safe foods and quiet spaces. Quincy Hansen will graduate from Colorado State University this year, and he’s a great guide to navigating the dining hall scene. One pro tip: you might want to invest in earplugs or headphones.  Plus strategies for when to eat and where to eat and how to plan meals and stock y...

Ryan says he wanted to start college with "a blank slate and kind of do it on my own." In his college search, he didn't look at schools through the lens of what kind of supports would be available for him as a neurodivergent student.  He didn't disclose to any professors in his first quarter. He shares how he arrived at UCLA and dove in headfirst, took a full load of classes, g...

Quinn loved almost everything about her time at Southern Oregon University. When she went to check out the school as a high school senior, she fell in love with the town of Ashland.  And the range of support services available for her as a student with an AU/ADHD dual diagnosis made choosing SOU an easy decision. Along the way she had some great roommates, loved her classes in the arts and managed...

Career Training Centers offer students on the spectrum experiential learning in ways that can prepare them for college or work. At Miller CTC in Los Angeles, high school graduates or students with a GED can explore training in everything from auto detailing and repair to professional baking and food service, retail, landscaping, and even media arts -  including behind-the-camera work and digital e...