ABSTRACT
Students with autism are headed to college in record numbers, but statistics such as graduation rates and other measures of success indicate significant struggle and distress in the process. Amy Radochonski highlights key areas of struggle, such as social communication problems, mental health issues, poor emotional regulation, weak executive functioning skills, and difficulties dealing with competing demands. She indicates that on the whole there is a lack of preparation for college, and a general lack of understanding of the differences between supports in the K-12 system versus the college system.
Radochonski advises that therapists can play a vital role in preparing students for college in a variety of ways. She advocates for educating students and parents about the differences in supports as the students ages through the academic systems. She also notes that therapists can impart skills regarding self-awareness, self-advocacy, problem solving, and building resiliency. She wisely notes that resilience requires failure, and that therapists, parents, and teachers should allow students to experience failure, and build skills to deal with failure, prior to college.
