Autism Goes To College

Students on the spectrum often decide that because college is a fresh start, they aren't going to ask for accomodations before classes even begin. Instead, better to see how it goes, and ask for accommodations if needed. That makes sense, but in real life, it's sometimes hard to fix a situation or make it work better on the fly. That's the observation of Dr. Maria Keller, Associate...

Preston looked at four-year colleges, but he was hearing about typical students getting overwhelmed by the course load and the adjustment to college life. So he decided to start out at a community college and take two classes to start.  He chose one language arts class and one math class for the first semester, and he joined the Media Arts Club, which is giving him hands-on experience producing a...

Data recently collected from over 400 college students on the spectrum shows that most feel protecting their mental health is often as important as getting good grades and graduating. The typical college goals are not so surprising, according to Professor Brett Ranon Nachman, an autism self-advocate and education researcher at the University of Arkansas. "But the findings about prioritizing m...

Gerry Campbell is working his way towards a bachelor's degree at Lethbridge University in Alberta with wit and determination. A little more than a decade ago, when Gerry was in high school, Canadian students on the spectrum were segregated into special ed classes and left high school with a certificate, with no option for a diploma. But Gerry wanted more and enrolled first in Lethbridge Colle...

Aubry Mintz teaches animation at Cal State Long Beach. He's great at supporting neurodiverse students, and if you've seen the documentary, Autism Goes to College, his voice and approach in this ep will be familiar. Among his colleagues, Aubry's been advocating for more awareness of how to best support neurodiverse students for years. Now he shares how his campus has grown its servic...

Jake G. is heading into his final year at Concordia College in Austin, TX after a very busy summer taking a class and doing a remote internship. Jake figured out early on in college that the best way for him to maintain his high GPA was to get a reduced class load accommodation. He's taken 10 credit units each semester, and that's made the workload manageable. Now as a fifth-year senior,...

For college students on the spectrum, it's hard to predict what might be challenging.  Some folks are academically capable,  feel comfortable with accomodations, and find social stuff difficult. Others may be easy with social interactions, but find it hard to manage time and keep classwork organized. Procrastination can create stress and anxiety.  One way to get extra support is to find an OT...

If you've been following Tony's college path, this episode will be a satisfying listen. In short: He was admitted to St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. and it feels good. He switched majors from Business to Econ. He's got an apartment. He cooks. Well, sometimes. He admits there might be a GrubHub addiction starting, due to a student discount. But mostly he has a lot to say about...

River was pretty clear about the kind of school that would work for them: Strong academics and a school community aligned with their intention to make a difference in the world. Also important: affinity and support groups for them as a student with autism who identifies as LGBTQ. With a short college list that grew -and later contracted- there were high hopes, some rejection, an Early Decision 2 a...

Taylor aged out of school-based programs last summer. Finding a path to college has been challenging, so far. But her mom, Eraina Ferguson is determined. Taylor uses American Sign Language to communicate. Right now, she is working on life skills and soon starts a part-time job at Howdy's Homemade, an ice cream shop chain that intentionally trains and hires employees with disabilities. And all...

Dom Z. is a student at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. He’s a commuter student now and looking forward to moving into the dorms in the fall. He loves college and says he owes his college success so far to two ways he got himself ready:  A semester at a community college, and his part-time job at Target. Dom shares that in the past he’d had a hard time controlling his emotions, but l...

Looking back at her undergraduate experience, Katharine O'Brien says it's a lot easier, now, to understand how it was going. Overall she had a wonderful experience at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Academics were challenging but in a good way. Social experiences were often challenging, too, but often in a not-so-good way.  That's partly because Katharine didn't have an au...

College admissions have changed in some significant ways since the pandemic. Hear important updates from Eric Endlich, a college admissions counselor who works mostly with students on the spectrum. He's got new insights about the relevance of standardized tests now; what colleges are looking for; application and essay strategies and what students on the spectrum should look for when they star...

The questions and stresses around college applications, essays, and admissions get a lot of attention every fall. Students on the spectrum may feel especially anxious or challenged about how to approach the process, and whether or not to reveal or even write about their diagnosis. Other questions students have might include: Are there accommodations that kick in as early as the application process...

David Teplitz was determined to go to UCBerkeley, and he did it, graduating in May with a degree in political science.  David is on the spectrum and has severe apraxia. That means -- in his case--  he is verbal but doesn't speak. Hear David explain how he got in and managed his class load with the help of many aids and communication devices. David also offers insights about academics, connect...

PerI Abrams just got back to campus to start her sophomore year at Hamilton College in upstate New York. Her freshman year was amazing...sort of. She had a great first semester (you can hear all about that in Episode 12).  But second semester was rougher. She says little things derailed her and she wound up sleeping in some, skipping a few classes, avoiding social situations, and worrying about di...

Tony Y started this year at the University of Oregon, but he's ending it at Foothill College, a community college closer to where he's from in Northern California. At the start of his freshman year, he found he loved some things about the U of O and the city of Eugene, but definitely not the weather and maybe not the quarter system. So he decided to see if he might like another school on...

Ben VanHook is a graduate student at George Mason University, studying public policy. He also works in Washington, D.C. as a Programs and Outreach Associate at the Organization for Autism Research, and as the first autistic student representative to the American Psychological Association. In this episode, Ben talks about how his self-advocacy grew into community advocacy, as he navigated his way t...

Jasmine B is looking forward to graduating in May from UC Riverside with a degree in environmental engineering. What she's not looking forward to is job hunting. For the past five years, she's been working at a fast-food restaurant to help pay for college, so she has plenty of work experience, but not in her chosen field. Jasmine says her college's career services advisors have been...

Peri A. had to persuade her parents that she'd be just fine if she chose a college far from home. She grew up and went to high school in L.A.  But Hamilton College in upstate New York had everything she was looking for - a small school with a strong liberal arts program, accommodations for students on the spectrum, and a sense of community that she loved when she visited. Peri was able to con...

Parents of students on the spectrum are often very involved because that is the only way to make sure school works for your child. Jackie Lorrainne began navigating her son James' school experiences as soon as he was diagnosed in elementary school, and all the way through his college graduation coming up in May of 2022 from the University of Missouri at St. Louis.  Along the way she found Jam...

James T. had his heart set on attending an historically black college (HBCU). But the dorm set-up and social scene proved challenging. So for the second semester of his freshman year, he transferred to the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He thrived there, socially and academically. He says he "found a home":  had an easier time in the dorms with a single room, and participated in a se...

Caroline talks with one of her professors at Cal State Fullerton, JudelMay Enriquez, about the ways they worked together. Caroline was struggling in a methods and research class. Even with accommodations, she found she got more support by visiting her professor during office hours to let her get to know her, and her learning style better. She also picked up strategies for keeping up in the course....

Tony Y. is three weeks into his freshman year at the University of Oregon, and so far he loves the vibe in Eugene, the great food in town, and his first-quarter classes: The Politics of Business, algebra, trumpet studio, and he's in the marching band. Hear more about how Tony is settling in, his unique living arrangement, and his advice on how to talk to professors. Another hack: Get a Safewa...

Many colleges and universities are opening up more offerings for students on the spectrum who are seeking a college experience without pursuing a degree. These certificate programs are often a good fit for students who are curious about a range of subjects, seek social settings, and want to gain independent living skills but may have intellectual disabilities or other challenges. In this episode,...