For Students
Overview
Tips for College Students on the Autism Spectrum.
College is much different and less structured than high school. Some students can find all the changes and having to navigate the social situations and college experience daunting. It is not unusual for a student on the spectrum to struggle during their first semester in college, even if they had a 4.0 GPA in high school. You might want to consider starting college in the summer when there are a lot less students.
College classes cover a lot more material in a much shorter time when compared to high school classes. If you take an 8-week course instead of a 16-week course then you should expect to cover material very, very rapidly. It might be beneficial not to take 8-week courses, or to at least wait until you are comfortable at the college and have been successful at least one semester with your other classes.
You can pick up a map of the campus from the admissions office to keep with you and help you locate various buildings. It will be important for you to know where Admissions, Academic Advising and Financial Aid offices are. It also might be helpful to learn where the Library, Counseling and Wellness Center, Disabilities Resource Center, Spectrum of Success office, and tutors are located. Students should try to visit and walk around the campus several times before their first semester starts. Once you have your class schedule, students may also want to go to the actual buildings and find where their classrooms are prior to the start date of class.
Many students chose their classes based on different things. Some students are more alert and learn better in the morning while other students are more focused and learn better in the evening. It might be helpful for some students to go on www.ratemyprofessors.com to read reviews about different professor that are teaching the classes they need to take. Students can rate and post comments about their professors on this site. Students who failed or did poorly in a class will sometimes post negative comments about a professor. These comments may or may not be accurate. However, if you read all the comments about specific professors it can help to guide you to the professor that might be best for you.
Heavy traffic or having a difficult time finding parking can cause you to be late to class.
Tutors can be a huge help to students on the spectrum. Many professors use a curriculum and teaching style that is geared for neuro-typical students. People on the spectrum learn and process information differently. Some things might be easier for the student on the spectrum while other things may be harder. A tutor helps to break difficult concepts down into smaller steps that are easier to understand.
Many students do well when they work on class assignments or study for each class every day. Students might only need to spend 20 or 30 minutes per day, per class studying. Some students need to spend longer periods of time. Find what works best for you.
Many students will struggle with an assignment or feel like they did not do a good job so they do not bother turning the assignment in. The student may feel like their work is so bad that it would be graded as an F so there is no reason to turn it in. Even if the professor gives the student a 50% which is an F, this is still much better than a 0% F that the student will get if he does not turn in the assignment. Try to get as many points as you can for every assignment and test. Please try to turn in all your assignments on time.
Some students on the spectrum find they are less distracted if they sit in the front of the class. Other students may be less distracted in another seat, especially if outside noises, smells or other things are louder or more distracting in certain areas of the room. If fluorescent lighting or other distractions interfere with your learning then it might be helpful for you to tell your access specialist or professor. There might be an easy solution to rid or lessen the distraction.
If your handwriting is poor, you might be able to type notes in class, have a note taker, tape record the class, or ask if the professor is willing to give you class notes. Accurate class notes can be a very good study tool. Many students find it very helpful to listen to the tape recorded class multiple times while they are taking a walk, playing with the dog or doing other things that do not require their full attention. Having class lectures recorded also allows the student to stop and rewind any areas they did not understand. Using highlighters, post-its, and different colored folders for different classes, or areas of classes might also help you to be better organized.
Life happens. There are many unexpected things that can come up during the semester that causes you to miss class or not have the time to spend doing your assignments like you normally would. If you stay on top of your work and studies, you are more likely to still be able to successful pass your class if these unexpected life issues come up.
Visit once a semester to make sure you are on track and taking the best classes to complete your degree.
Counselors at SF are available to help you. If you are having a particularly difficult day and you feel you need to speak with a counselor you can see a counselor without an appointment. However if it is not urgent, you might prefer to see the same counselor on a regular basis. Counselors are there to help you.
Its okay if it takes a little longer to graduate as long as the student is progressing in a positive direction.
If uncomfortable ask DRC access specialist to go with you the first time that you speak with your professor. Most professors are happy to help you during their office hours. Professors know exactly what a student needs to learn to be successful in a class so they will often be a big help to the student. Students on the spectrum often have a hard time getting started with a project or assignment. It might be helpful for the student to ask the professor for guidance at the beginning of the project and throughout to make sure the student is on the right track. Asking for clarification can save students from spending a lot of time working on a project only to get a bad grade because they did the assignment incorrectly.
Some students are prescribed medications by their physician then feel they are doing great, so they no longer need to take their medication. Sometimes, students may not like the side-effects of their medication, so they stop taking it. When students stop taking their medication without their physician's guidance, the student is likely to spiral downhill. It is extremely important to take any medications exactly as prescribed by their doctor. If a student is prescribed medication and feel they no longer need the medication, or the student does not like the side effects, the student should contact their doctor and voice their concerns.
Consider registering with the DRC . The DRC provides services to Santa Fe College students with disabilities, so they have an equal opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of SF life. You can ask for an information appointment with an Access Specialist if you have questions about the process. There is no commitment to go further in the process. Any documentation students may submit will be held confidential and will only be used to determine the need for accommodations. Registration with the DRC does not appear on your transcript or diploma nor is it indicated to future employers.
Many students are not sure what career they want to have. They can visit the Career Exploration Center for guidance and help. The CEC can help you learn about the things you are good at and like to do and match these with different possible careers for you to explore. Often students do not know certain programs of study and job positions even exist.