TPP 333: David Marcus on Post-High School Alternative Paths for Differently Wired Kids

We’re talking about what we often call in the neurodivergent space, long runways, for our emerging young adults, specifically alternative paths for differently wired students who are graduating high school but may not either be ready for a “typical” college experience or for whom college isn’t part of the plan.

We do get a little update from Dave on the admissions landscape, but most of the this episode is dedicated to considering other options for students, including gap years, apprenticeships, taking a few classes at a community college, and most importantly, slowing the whole “launching” process down to support kids who would really benefit from extra time to develop and grow, recover from mental health challenges, destress, and more. 

About my guest:

David L Marcus is a college admissions coach who loves helping students and parents find balance and joy. He has been a journalist, author and teacher – as well as a writing coach for CEOs.

David wrote a book about college admissions, Acceptance (published by Penguin Books). He also wrote a book about struggling teens, What It Takes to Pull Me Through (published by Houghton Mifflin). He has appeared on the Today show and NPR’s Morning Edition; he has spoken about education at conferences, schools, churches, and synagogues across the U.S. David is an honors graduate of Brown University. He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard. But he says classes at a community college changed his life.

Things you'll learn:

What has changed for students who are college bound now that we are through the pandemic

How the decision-making and admission process has changed for students and for colleges

Why gap years can be such a good option for some students and the different ways a gap year might look

Why community college might be a good starting point for neurodivergent kids

Other options for kids who don’t want to take the college route after high school

Advice for parents with kids close to the end of high school on how to support them after they graduate

Resources:

David Marcus’ website

Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges–and Find Themselves by David Marcus

What It Takes To Pull Me Through: Four Troubled Teenagers And Fourteen Months That Transformed Them by David Marcus

College Vetting, Admissions, & Accommodations for Differently Wired Students (Tilt Parenting Podcast)

Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities by Elizabeth Hamblet

Gap Year Association

College Autism Spectrum

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