Welcome back to our College Prep Series, where we have been exploring the process of seeking out college programming as an Autistic student. 

In Part 1 we talked about some common needs that Autistic students express when seeking out a supportive college environment. 

In Part 2 we talked about what some of that programming might look like. 

In Part 3 we dove into some considerations we might make when matching our needs to a program. 

In Part 4 we will be wrapping up our series by talking about some considerations one might make when touring different programs to decide what is the best fit.

Touring a college campus offers a unique opportunity to get a sense of what it’s like on the ground that can’t be replicated by looking up a school online or doing research from the outside. When you are on campus you are the closest you will get to all the existing resources that a school has to offer. But at the same time campus tours aren’t designed to show you everything, and most schools do not design campus tours with Autistic students in particular in mind. 

Between student-led tours and your own exploration, what are some things worth considering while on campus? Let’s dive in and take a closer look!

Touring campus is often our one opportunity to really get a feel for what it’s like to be at a school and get a sense of how the environment feels. Consider how you feel in your campus environment. Is walking around a pleasant experience? Are there any unpleasant sensory issues you encounter on your tour? Does any part of campus make you feel uncomfortable? These might seem like minor considerations in the moment, but they are important when considering you would be spending your time on this campus for 4 years!

Even if we don’t know exactly what we want to do, many of us go to school with some idea of what subjects we might like to learn. If you know what subjects you want to pursue it is worth checking out the places where they are located and making sure those are healthy and safe working environments for you. Is the lighting acceptable? Are there any weird unexplainable smells? How does the noise level feel? Can any apparent issues be mitigated with a sensory tool? Beyond basic considerations, does the facility in question feel like a place well suited to exploring the topic you are interested in?

While you may already have an awareness of the programming a given school offers when touring, being there in person is also an opportunity to get a sense of what the program will look like and how the process will work when you are actually there. It may be necessary to plan this portion independently of any student tours as they may not think to automatically include such a stop.

One of the best ways to get a sense of how a campus treats Autistic students is to talk to someone who has lived it, and being on campus presents a unique opportunity to make that happen. This is another case where if you want to pursue this route it might be necessary to contact the school ahead of time to see what is possible.

Beyond the big picture questions of whether a school feels like a good fit, we may have some specific concrete needs that we want to know whether the school meets. The goal here is not to make a comprehensive list or to neatly summarize all of your needs into tidy yes/no boxes, but rather to make a point of having a list of the things you already know you need in front of you so you can look out for them as you go and ask questions if you’re not sure about what you’re seeing.

Beyond all the other concrete and practical considerations we must make is the most important one. At the end of the day, how do you feel about the idea of going to this school? Are you so excited about the possibility? Does it seem as good as any other option? Are you worried about whether you can make it work? 

As silly as it might seem, it’s worth remembering that college is a 4 year commitment and if we don’t feel good about it from the start it can be that much harder down the line when we come across a challenge or setback! So as silly as it might sound, even if everything looks good on paper it’s still important to both listen to your gut and remember that college is supposed to be for you and your goals, so it’s OK to be picky about what is ultimately the right choice!

We hope this post has sparked some ideas of what you’d like to know when you visit the college campuses you are most interested in! 

If you’d like to share your own experience touring college campuses or want to see us cover this topic more in depth then we’d love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com and in the meantime check out all of our other blog series!