Life After High School: Navigating the Transition to College with Autism

College: Finding Your Perfect Fit

Choosing the Right School: My UW Tacoma Story

“This is part 1 of a 3-part series on transitioning from high school to adulthood, written by me, Khalid, a person with autism. If you want to find out more about me and the whole series, check out the introduction. The intro and parts 2 and 3 are available here if you want to read the whole series.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

When it came to picking a college, I took a different approach than most people expected. I knew I wasn't going to go out of state - that was non-negotiable for me. From there, I made my list and evaluated my options. Here's something interesting: while many people apply to multiple schools, I only applied to one - UW Tacoma. Why? Because I'd done my homework and knew it was exactly what I was looking for: it was close to home, offered a relaxed and manageable environment, and had a warm, welcoming campus community that made me feel right at home.

While most students prioritize their degree program when choosing a college, I focused first on finding a supportive environment that would set me up for success. I knew that without the right environmental factors - like being close to my support system and having a manageable campus atmosphere - I might struggle, regardless of the academic programs available. As it turned out, UW Tacoma was the perfect match, offering both the nurturing environment I needed and the degree program I wanted to pursue. It was as if the pieces fell into place, addressing both my personal needs and academic goals.

My original plan was to pursue a criminal justice degree, but the pandemic threw a wrench into those plans. Getting accepted into the program would have taken time, and honestly, I wasn't completely certain it was the right path for me. I ended up choosing a different degree in a related field - close enough to criminal justice that I felt comfortable with the switch.

Looking back, even if UW Tacoma hadn't offered programs aligned with my interests, I likely would have chosen a different major rather than a different school. While I had specific career aspirations, I knew my personal needs had to come first. The environment and support system were non-negotiable; they were the foundation I needed to succeed in earning any degree. This wasn't just about what I wanted to study; it was about creating the best possible conditions for my learning journey.

Making the Most of College Resources

Once I got to college, I discovered I needed many accommodations for my classes. Here's my honest advice about managing college life: as a disabled student, you need to actively seek out and fully utilize every available resource to maximize your success. Traditional college settings aren't inherently designed with disabled students in mind, so it becomes crucial to reshape your college experience to fit your specific needs.

This means being strategic about everything - from finding a consistent, private study space where you can work effectively, to connecting with support groups that can help address any challenges that emerge during your academic journey. One of the most valuable steps I've learned is to build relationships with key people in your college community. Whether it's friends, tutors, or professors, these connections matter. When you take the time to develop these relationships, these individuals become familiar with your working style and needs, making it easier for them to provide effective support. This understanding and support network becomes invaluable in helping you maintain steady progress toward your goals.

Never Say No to Advantages

• Note-Taking Support: If you struggle with taking notes while listening (I definitely did), use a note-taker. This is a person who will take notes for you to make things easier for you to keep up.For me, this was a game changer.

• Reading Assistance: Consider using summaries and text-to-speech tools for heavy reading loads. These tools can dramatically speed up your reading time when dealing with extensive materials.

• Information Processing: Let's be real - processing large amounts of information on a regular basis is challenging. Find ways to break it down and make it manageable. Ask your professors and classmates for their written summaries if they have them. Because  each person explains things in slightly different ways, it might take a while to find someone whose explanations make sense to you. Don’t stop just because you find your professor’s explanation unmanageable. 

Utilize Every Resource

There is absolutely nothing that would be "going overboard" when it comes to using legitimate resources. Make a list of everything that is in your power to do and try them all:

• Visit office hours for extra help and clarification for any material that didn’t make sense to you.

• Connect with tutoring organizations (like Washington's Northwest of Education) and look for resources outside your school that can help you push forward when it comes to your endeavors.

• Use online resources and tools. The Internet is a great resource, so use text-to-speech to read out any text. There are a number of AI apps that can summarize for you; it may take time to find the one that is right for you. I found Wordtune most helpful.

• Take advantage of campus support services, for example, the campus writing center, tutors, or anything else that might be available at your college. Colleges want to help you succeed, so when you are applying look at what support options are available.

Remember, these resources exist specifically to help you succeed. I found tremendous value in working with tutors and support organizations - they helped me stay dedicated and improved my grades.

Key Takeaways from My College Experience

1. Prioritize Your Needs: Don't get caught up in what others think you "should" do. Focus on what works for you. Take some time to understand what you need to best study at your own pace. You’re the only one who truly understands your needs and wants, so this is your opportunity to make sure they are met.

2. Location Matters: Sometimes staying close to your support system is more important than going to a "prestigious" school far away.

3. Environment is Key: A supportive, comfortable campus environment can be more helpful than specific academic programs.

4. Use Every Resource: Take advantage of every legitimate accommodation and support service available.

Remember, your college journey is unique to you. Success isn't about following someone else's path - it's about creating the environment and support system that works best for your needs.

I had a go-with-the-flow attitude that worked for me in high school and was used to just dealing with problems in the moment. But I realized that as things became more complex as I started thinking about my college journey, and planning ahead was an essential part of my college success.

In the next part of this blog series, I’m going to look specifically at the communication challenges I faced while at college and give you some insight in how to prepare for those.