Gross’s difficulties are all too common, says Stephen Shore, a prominent advocate who is an assistant professor of special education at Adelphi University and author of several books on autism. “But any social issues I might have at college pale in comparison.”
“I’ve talked to people who want to frame the issues I have as social because they see autism only as a social disability,” she says. While Gross sees many students reveling in their freedom, she says the responsibility of staying organized and on track that goes with freedom is her most formidable obstacle. Which makes college, often the first foray into independent living, especially challenging. “I think the burden is increased in autism,” he says. Steingard, a pediatric psychopharmacologist. But disrupted executive function, usually associated with ADHD, is also common in people on the spectrum, says Ron J. They might miss social cues and misunderstand what’s expected of them. Many parents do not anticipate the struggles their kids, without the family structure and the supports they were provided in school, will face.Ĭonventional wisdom holds that the biggest problems for those on the less severe end of the spectrum are social and communication issues. Because these bright, if socially awkward, children have been doing well academically, it’s a natural assumption they will do fine in college and beyond. Gross represents a wave of young people on the less affected end of the autism spectrum who head off to college after high school. “Every semester I am absolutely miserable by finals.” After finally hitting a serious “rocky patch,” as she puts it, Gross decided to take a break. “I got strep and mono in one semester.” Of course, this adds to her anxiety and trouble getting things done. “I get sick a lot because my immune system is shot,” she says. Gross is on the autism spectrum, and her struggles with life skills and executive function-the mental processes that involve things like planning, time management and multitasking-leave her feeling depressed and anxious. “When you take into account that when I’m living on my own it is difficult for me just to keep myself washed, fed and in clean clothes,” she says, “it means that I can’t do the schoolwork as fast as the professors can assign it.” It makes college an even greater challenge. So while she gets good grades, the 21-year-old is aware that she does things more slowly than most people, including getting dressed in the morning, transitioning between activities, and writing papers. Vassar junior Zoe Gross knows her strengths and weaknesses all too well. By planning ahead for what strategies and accommodations they will need, students with autism can have happy, successful college experiences. That might include visual schedules, planners and alarm clocks. When your child with autism does go to college, using the right organizational tools can make a big difference. Once kids have more practice with the demands of college, they might transition to living independently.
Sometimes starting off at a community college or other option closer to home may be best.
College students social questions how to#
When they get to college, they’ll know how to ask for the services they need.įamilies can also think ahead of time about whether the child is ready to live away from home. Teenagers with autism can learn how to advocate for themselves. Schools start planning with kids and families by age 14, but starting to think about college even earlier can be helpful. Transition planning is crucial for kids with autism. Plus, it can be hard to find clinicians who work with adults with autism. Living independently, taking care of daily needs, managing homework and schedules - dealing with all these things at once can be overwhelming.Īnother issue is that college students with autism may be living without services like educational supports and occupational therapy for the first time. Because college comes with so many new responsibilities, autistic students may have a hard time managing their time and staying on track. Trouble with organization is common in kids with autism. But with the right tools and preparation, college students with autism can continue to succeed. When they get there, they sometimes run into unexpected challenges. Many teenagers with autism do well in high school and head off to college.
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