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If you’ve had the privilege of working with an autistic student in a college setting, you understand how important it is to ensure they feel welcome and included. In this blog post, we’re going to explore why creating an inclusive environment matters for our autistic students, and we’ll share some practical tips for college professors…
OAR's Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Students on the Spectrum features practical advice from autism experts, powerful narratives from self-advocates, and helpful resource tools. It is intended to help prospective and current students with ASD anticipate and address academic and social issues often faced in the college environment.
Every student experiences stress at some point during college. Created by a team led by Vanessa Bal, Ph.D. and Evan Kleiman, Ph.D. at Rutgers University, OAR’s A Mental Health Guide for Autistic College Students is intended to help autistic students promote their own well-being and know when and where to seek mental health services during college. The Mental Health Guide addresses challenges that may come up, as well as tips to promote well-being and cope with feeling overwhelmed. The guide also offers practical advice for navigating access to mental health care for autistic college students and their parents. More specifically this guide covers topics such as:
Everyone deserves a fulfilling college experience, including autistic students. College is an exciting and challenging time for most young adults as it is their first step into adulthood and independence. In addition to the everyday challenges, mistakes, and adventures that come with the typical college experience, many autistic students face unique challenges. OAR’s college resources aim to help prospective and current autistic college students become better prepared for college life and academics.
OAR interviewed Nyla Cooper, a 2022 Synchrony Family Scholarship winner, and member of OAR’s Scholars’ Society, about the impact of mental health on her college experience. Nyla is a junior in the ARTs Foundation, majoring in Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, who is passionate about the arts. Art has aided her through her struggles…
OAR has awarded 55 students with scholarships for 2023, bringing the scholarship total to $1,717,500 provided to 558 autistic students since 2007. This year, 1,112 students applied for one of three OAR scholarships: the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship, the Schwallie Family Scholarship, and the Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color. All three scholarships provide one-time $3,000 awards…
As a new college student, it’s normal to feel both excited and nervous for life on campus. After all, you’re surrounded by new people, and you likely don’t know most of them. This is a great opportunity to start fresh, try new things, and make friends. Making connections can make your new college campus feel…
When Ryan Neale went to UCLA, his dream school, he struggled in the first months of his freshman year, hiding his autism and trying to blend in, as he wrote in an essay for Business Insider. In those first months of his freshman year, he “exchanged sleep and self-care for going out and partying —…
Everyone deserves a fulfilling college experience, including autistic students. Going to college can be an exciting opportunity to discover new interests, live independently, and develop self-advocacy skills. OAR created Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Students on the Spectrum to help autistic students become better prepared for college life and academics. This guidebook offers…
OAR interviewed Samantha Harker, a 2020 Schwallie Family Scholarship recipient and member of OAR’s Scholars’ Society, to ask her how she made the transition from high school to college and what advice she has for autistic students pursuing postsecondary education. The Scholars’ Society offers long-term engagement and support for students who have received awards through…
