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 the difference. Bonus: Ryan Neale returns with an update on how it's going as he heads into his junior year, and the latest developments with the student self-advocacy and social space he founded on campus, the Bruin Neurodiversity Collective. Have you heard of body doubling? You probably want to know about this.

Support the show

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 it ideal. But still, some aspects of college life were hard to navigate.  And she continued to struggle with a familiar difficulty: initiating relationships. Listening to a friend talk about similar challenges during her freshman and sophomore years, L started to learn something about herself: maybe... I'm autistic? At first, she says, that seemed unlikely. But the more L listened and learned, the more she felt like, actually, this might explain a lot. So, she decided to get evaluated. L tells her story about getting into college, not even considering looking for a school with accommodations and leaving college better prepared for the road ahead with both her degree and a much greater understanding of who she is.

Support the show

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 hear from the creators of the course and two professors who say even if you think you know, there's plenty to learn about how to serve all students. Best answer: Ask students what they need, be aware of invisible challenges, accommodate everyone in class with extra time, and adjust your teaching style as needed. 

Support the show

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 with campus programming, and is now drawing on his own experiences to help create an internship program to ensure that inclusion in campus organizations is not just integration, but more meaningful. 

On track to graduate next year, Dom is a communications disorders major. He says professors have been helpful, accommodations have been flexible over the years, but he's found a couple of the classes challenging enough to retake them for a better grade as he'd like to graduate with honors. Dom's a music minor, plays in multiple student groups, and says he's usually on campus six days a week, because there is always something happening at BSU, and he doesn't want to miss out.

Support the show

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 may not be aligned with parents' expectations, and that means talking it through. Morin also says it's important to remember there are no IEPs in college, and after turning 18, the student legally becomes their own advocate. Insights and strategies for setting off on the road ahead. 

Support the show

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 reflection, and ultimately River decided to approach the sciences differently, and that has made all the difference. Hear more about how River navigated the early days - from the sometimes exhausting "mandatory fun" of orientation to settling into the dorm, and some surprising insights about affinity groups. 

Support the show

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 because of other challenges and, after using some screening tools, begin to understand that their struggles may be linked by the single diagnosis of autism. Naz knows this path because he was on it. He was undiagnosed and put into special ed programs as a child. He made it to college because he was great at math and science and got a football scholarship. But he had a hard time as an undergrad and was still struggling with reading comprehension, writing and time management in grad school. Mentors helped him find the right supports to keep him on a path to success. Today Naz has a doctorate in social work, but says his best credential is his lived experience as a kid on the spectrum growing up in communities of color in Flint and Saginaw, Michigan. Real talk from a counselor who's been there. 

Support the show

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 track with online classes, building his own schedule around school, and living in an apartment. He never had accommodations, but as a psychology student, he gained some insights into his own learning style and challenges, and in this episode, he shares his path to a late diagnosis and his academic successes. 

Support the show

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 actually wasn't a great fit, and she explains why. Plus, more insights and strategies on how to navigate the ups and downs of freshman year and what Lindsey loves about sharing her college experiences as a student on the spectrum with her TikTok and YouTube followers.

Support the show

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’re not eating in the dining halls. Sensory eaters, this one is definitely for you.

Support the show