Autism Goes To College

If you’ve been following Peri’s college path as an autistic college student, you’ll love hearing this update. Peri describes her experience at UCLA as incredible, comfortable, and amazing. She is also on track to graduate in March.

Peri started college at a small liberal arts school on the East Coast and will graduate from a big public university on the West Coast. In between, she took classes at a community college.

In this episode, Peri explains why she decided to reset at a school closer to home and reflects on her overall college experience: the academic successes and personal challenges, the ways she has accessed accommodations, and the connections she has made with other students on the spectrum through UCLA’s Bruin Neurodiversity Collective.

Support the show

For Dom Z., Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts was an endless buffet of opportunities. In this episode of Autism Goes to College, Dom shares with Katharine how he made it across the finish line while immersing himself in campus life, student government, clubs, and the music scene. Plus, he updates us on his personal quest to make life better for every student on campus who might have invisible challenges.

Dom loved the academic coaching available at BSU, got a few college accommodations that helped him with note taking and test taking, and his academic path zig-zagged a bit. He credits a professor with guiding him to stick with his major of Communication Sciences & Disorders, while also looking for creative ways to build a career outside of the traditional speech-language professions.

Advocacy for autistic and neurodiverse college students, how to do college without burning out, disability accommodations, academic coaching, campus belonging, and ways to make grad school work when you also need to work are all part of this conversation.

Support the show

For Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, Autism Goes to College host Katharine O’Brien sits down with Dr. Barry Prizant, pioneering autism researcher, advocate, author, and host of the Uniquely Human podcast. Named after his bestselling book, Uniquely Human, the podcast reflects Dr. Prizant’s long-standing impact on the autism community. For Katharine, this is a dream conversation with one of the people who has deeply shaped her life and work. In this episode, they explore how autism research and advocacy have evolved, what Dr. Prizant sees for autistic students on college campuses today compared to when he began his career, and a preview of his next book, due out later this year. Dr. Prizant is the author of five previous books and is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on autism.

Support the show

As an aspiring filmmaker and journalism major, Quincy chose SUNY New Paltz for its strong academic options, lively college-town atmosphere, and food scene. He found all of that there, and as he wraps up a busy four years, Quincy reflects on his academic path, a mentorship program he joined first as a mentee and later as a mentor, launching his own podcast, writing for campus publications, and bringing his perspective and experience to dorm life as a resident assistant.

For many autistic and neurodivergent college students, dorm life and having a roommate can be especially challenging, particularly in the first weeks and months of school. Quincy shares how he supports students as they settle in, including helping them find the language to navigate roommates, communication, and shared living. As more college students across the country identify as neurodiverse, many campuses still do not train resident assistants in how to best support autistic students. Drawing on his lived experience, Quincy discusses his senior capstone project, which explores how colleges can better support students on the autism spectrum.

Support the show

Abigail is in her second semester at Kent State University, and she’s thriving. She chose Kent State’s non-degree program for students with autism after comparing several autism support programs and deciding this campus offered the right mix of courses, dorm life, activities, and being close enough to home for weekend support.

In this episode, Abigail shares what took adjusting during her first semester, what’s working now (classes, routines, and campus life), and how she’s thinking about the two-year vs. four-year path. A warm, practical student story about transitioning to college on the spectrum and building a setup that fits.

Support the show

Myles has already been accepted to 10 colleges—and as an autistic student, having real options feels both exciting and overwhelming.

A drummer who plans to major in Music or Art History, Myles cast a wide net across the country, looking for schools with strong programs in his interests and meaningful supports for students on the autism spectrum.

His list includes:

• Trinity University (San Antonio, TX)
• University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA)
• Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI)
• Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA)
• Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
• Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
  …and more.

But now comes the hard part: choosing. Myles lives in Los Angeles and has realized he’s not thrilled about the idea of a long, cold winter—plus there are a dozen other factors that matter when you’re picking a school that truly fits.

In this episode of Autism Goes to College, Myles breaks down:
✅ How he built his college list (and what he prioritized)
✅ What “support” actually means when you’re comparing schools
✅ How he’ll make the final decision once all offers are in
✅ What he’d do differently if he could start over

If you’re an autistic student (or a parent) navigating college admissions, this conversation is a practical look at what it’s really like to weigh multiple acceptances and find the right next step.

Listen now and tell us in the comments: What matters most to you when choosing a college—program strength, location, supports, campus vibe, or something else?

Support the show

Blake and Ishaan are loving life on campus, taking classes and working at internship jobs.

Both are part of the UCDavis Redwood SEED Scholar program, which supports California students (ages 18-23) on the spectrum (and with other learning differences) who want a full college experience. For Blake, now a third-year student, that includes the program's foundational classes in math and language arts, plus a choice of classes from all that's offered across UCDavis. One of his faves so far: a quarter spent learning about the geology of national parks. Plus, Blake has two very different internships-  take a listen to hear more. Ishaan also feels the program is a perfect match for him. Now in his second year, Ishaan enjoyed dorm life from the start. He is super involved with his internship supporting the volleyball teams. Academically, Ishaan has chosen a mix of classes and appreciates the peer mentors and tutors. These guys can't say enough great things about the whole experience- take a listen to hear more!

Support the show

Lindsey W. is killing it in her classes. She’s now a junior at Appalachian State in Boone, NC, and has a few strategies helping her tackle the more intense coursework in her major, communication sciences. Neuroanatomy and physiology aren’t easy, but she’s doing it. She’s made friends in her classes and joined study groups, and continues to go to her professors’ office hours. She’s also part of Christian intervarsity bible studies and has become active in the neurodiversity club, now that the group is now growing and taking on some projects she cares about. Take a listen to how Lindsey continues to thrive, and she starts to think about what comes after graduation.

Support the show

This fall there's been a firehose of autism news --  stirring up old controversies, confusing parents and families, impacting students on the spectrum now at college, and even challenging autism researchers. In this special episode, host Katharine O'Brien talks with Dr. Katherine Meltzoff, professor of education at UCRiverside and director of the SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center about how teaching and learning about autism is being impacted and how students on the spectrum are faring. Big picture, one possible outcome could be a re-segmenting the autism spectrum. 

Support the show

Both Jasmine and Aniella graduated from UCRiverside and found jobs pretty quickly doing what they hoped to do. For Jasmine, putting her engineering degree to work on a project with the California Department of Transportation was a dream job, while Aniella still feels lucky to be working in the entertainment industry in LA. But after a few years in the work world, both decided to go back for more schooling, part time. In this episode they talk with host Katharine O'Brien (a Phd student with autism) about why they decided to go back for more school, what's different about grad school, and how they each hope the investment in an added credential could help them meet future goals. Interested in Antarctica and tips on time management? This ep has it all.

Support the show