Welcome back to our College Prep Series, where we have been exploring the process of seeking out college programs that support the needs of Autistic students. 

In Part 1 we discussed some common needs that Autistic students might consider when exploring college options and in Part 2 we took a closer look at some of the forms that support Autistic students on a college campus can take. 

In Part 3 we will be taking the next step and talking about matching your needs to the program you want.

When considering how well a given program fits, there are the broadstroke considerations of whether a given program appears to check the big important boxes when you are in the process of narrowing down and the more narrow considerations of how a specific programs will fit your specific needs when making a final decision. 

The former is important for weeding out programs that aren’t a good fit and would just be a waste of time, and the latter is important for making sure that what appears to be a good fit on the service has all you need. 

So let’s take a closer look at some of the common needs we discussed in Part 1, the types of programming we might look for to meet those needs, and some sample questions we could ask a prospective college regarding our needs.

While officially diagnosed Autistic students may be legally entitled to basic accommodations, there can be a vast range of differences in how a given college handles that process. Some schools might not have an established system, making the process of securing accommodations that much more difficult and time consuming. 

Likewise, schools without an established process can also lead to more conflict with professors who unilaterally decide they don’t want to go along with a reasonable accommodation even if legally they are supposed to. It is understandable that most Autistic students would not want this extra burden on their plate in addition to all the other responsibilities that come with college! 

One thing to look out for in schools is an established office that either directly assists Autistic students or manages accommodation requests so that it is not a constant topic of negotiation for students. 

Some questions worth asking can include:

• Will the school assist me with informing professors of my accommodation needs?

• How will the school assist me in the event that someone denies my accommodation request?

• Who can I reach out to in the event that I need specialized assistance?

• My accommodation needs are [X]. How will the school ensure those needs are met?

What could be more frustrating than to go to a school that says they are friendly to Autistic students, only to turn around and judge us for not completing a given task or managing a work process the way an Allistic person might. Or worse, lower their expectations when it comes to what they think we are capable of! 

One helpful green flag is schools that focus on recruiting Autistic students to existing school programs in a given subject area like entrepreneurship or public policy. That is a sign that a school knows Autistic students can thrive in any environment with the right accessibility supports. 

Some questions worth asking can include:

• Are there any Autistic alumni I can speak to about their experience here?

• What types of academic programs to Autistic students at this school tend to gravitate toward?

• Does joining school programming for Autistic students limit me in any way with regard to what I can major in or what courses I can take?

• I want to study [X]. How will that department support me in meeting my accessibility needs?

Although the primary purpose of college is to pursue an education, a college is also a community in which we are living, working, and playing and feeling like we belong in our community is a crucial component of having our needs met. 

Everyone will have different needs when it comes to fulfilling a sense of authentic belonging, but a good starting point is to check for any affinity groups for Autistic students, or campus groups that are focused on one of your areas of personal interest. 

Some questions with asking can include:

• What is the membership of the Autistic student affinity group on campus? What do they do as a group?

• The things I am most interested in outside of school are [X,Y,Z]. Are there any groups on campus with overlapping interests?

• How have other Autistic students reported they feel about navigating life on this campus?

• What advice would you give to an Autistic student who is worried about whether they will fit in at this school?

We hope this post has offered some basic ideas as to how you can begin to glean more information about the schools you are interested in to discover if they are they right fit for you! 

If you would like to share your experience deciding what colleges are a good fit then we would love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and stay tuned for Part 4 where we will discuss touring programs and a list of considerations you might want to bring with you.