Autism Goes To College

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 instructors, fills that gap. We'll...

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 a stint of dorm living), he works ...

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 expects to do after high school ma...

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, but the experience prompted deep ...

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, or may, others come looking for help...

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 one semester. But he got back on tra...

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 Neurodivergent Students and Allies club act...

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 your dorm room or apartment if you’r...

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, got his first taste of dorm life, lo...

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 her math dyscalculia, graduating l...

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 editing. Bryson is in his second yea...

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 Director of Disabled Student Servic...

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 news show. This winter,  he's ...

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 mental health, finding friends, and ...

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 College in Alberta where he could start ...

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 services, broadened approaches, and gone ...

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, he's taking a few more classe...

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.  OTs are occupational therapists ...

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 the accommodations at St. Mary&apos...