OARacle Newsletter

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 practical advice from experts, powerful narratives from self-advocates, and many resource tools.

The guide answers frequently asked questions, such as:

• How should I prepare for living with a roommate? 
• What is self-advocacy and why is it important? 
• What is the disability services office and how will it help me? 
• How can I apply for a part-time job in college? 
• How can I make and keep friends? 
• With so many classes, activities, and chores to do, how do I stay organized? 

OAR provides copies of the guidebook to support high schools, transition programs, and autism college support programs. Program coordinators are encouraged to use the guide to reinforce discussions and existing curricula, and students are encouraged to use it as a reference tool.  

Anyone interested in receiving hard copies of the guidebook can place an order through OAR’s online store. For bulk orders, contact OAR at programs@researchautism.org.  

College Central

A companion microsite, College Central, provides up-to-date resources and information about existing support programs, scholarships, and more. The website includes quizzes that students can take, such as:  

• Should you live on campus? 
• Should you have a roommate? 

College Central is continually expanding and being updated. If you wish to contribute your personal story, academic strategies, or resources to the website, please email programs@researchautism.org with the subject line “College Central Submission.”