Resources to Help Choose A College for Autistic Students
Going to college may not be an option many autistic students consider, but they should. Many positions that autistic adults thrive in require a college degree, and not just the technical positions.
Often companies only consider applicants that have a college degree, even if that degree is in something completely unrelated to the job. A college degree shows the ability to set a long term goal and achieve that goal. College also provides opportunities for internships and other programs that can open doors into the working world.
Unfortunately autistic students face many challenges when choosing the right college for their specific interests and needs. Support services are often available, but finding those services can be challenging as vocabulary and departments vary from one college to another and standard online resources don't seem to list this kind of information. There are resources available if you know where to look. Here are a few places to check.
ASAN's Navigating College Handbook
This book was published in 2011 and is by autistic students, for autistic students. The book is available for free at their website, Navigating College. The ebook contains information on getting academic accommodations, housing, health and safety, advocacy and social life. It is an excellent book to read to understand more about college life from an autistic students point of view.
Online Websites
There are many online search sites with information about colleges. However few of them include information on the support services at these universities.
ThinkCollege.net is a site specifically targeting autistic students. They have a listing of colleges, universities and post-secondary programs that are for autistic students. However the programs they list are submitted to them and the list is far from complete. If students have a specific school in mind, checking this site to see what programs they have available is a good first step. However if the school is not listed here, it doesn't mean they don't have support programs in place.
Another resource to check is SpectrumU. This site lists many colleges in alphabetical order or by type of university. However this is in a list format, not a searchable database. The site does have some excellent tips and information on searching for colleges with appropriate services.
Print Resources
Consumer Reports has done a review of online and print resources for college guides and comparisons. While none of the online resources they recommend address services for autistic students several of the print books do.
The College Handbook by the College Board, Guide to Colleges by Fiske and Profiles of American colleges by Barron's are all top resources and all include information on special services. College Handbook is actually the number one recommended book resource as it includes information on costs, educational quality, environment and has the largest number of schools included in the guide at 3,800. This may be a good first look to understand what is available and learn the vocabulary that goes with a school search.
Online Forums
There are also several forums where students and parents can go to learn more about college and post-secondary life.
These forums are all active and provide valuable information and discussions on college and other post-secondary options.
Other Options
Not every autistic student is going to attend a college with support services. However there are independent programs who will provide needed support at the college or university of choice. These programs are fee based and vary widely in cost and services.
Here are a few examples:
- · AHEADD
- · College Internship Program
- · College Living Experience
- · College Steps Program
- · Student Curriculum on Resilient Education
Autistic students can be successful in college and beyond with the right supports in place.
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