Research Project Essay

Posted on by

Gwyn Hubert

Prof.Weaver

English 2

April 24 2023

 

Why is it harder for Autistic People to go to College?

 

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disability that affects development in the brain. It is genetic however the causes of it are currently unknown in the medical / scientific community. “ People with ASD can show symptoms as early as one years old” ( CDC  “ What is Autism Spectrum Disorder “ 1 )  . The most common signs of Autism are difficulty with socializing , Repetitive behavior and Differences in sensory processing ( for example ; sensitivity to sounds, lights, textures ). “ This disability affects 1 in every 54 children “ ( Teague 1 )( Pectu, Zhang and Li 1 )   and yet only 32 percent of people with ASD end up going to a two year College ( Pectu, Zhang and Li 1 )? Why is it hard for Autistic Students to thrive in Higher Ed when they did so well in High School?

 

The number of people with ASD ( Autism Spectrum Disorder ) has risen in the past twenty years, only 152 out of 2002 were diagnosed with Autism and as of 2016 the number has gone up to 1 in every 54. While there are programs in place to help people with ASD , most of those programs are for children under the age of eighteen ( Kolodner 1 ). While there are a few Colleges that have Programs geared toward Autistic Students, “ such as the REACH program at City University of New York” ( Kolodner 1 ), most Colleges do not , which leaves Autistic Students to go without support. A part of why College is so difficult for people with Autism is the College life aka the independent living at the dorms. In an Article written by Beth Arky and Ron J. Steingard “ Going to College with Autism “ ,” An Autistic Student by the name of Zoe Gross describes how difficult living independently for the first time is. To her, the responsibilities of simply taking care of herself is overwhelming, not to mention the chaos caused by changes in schedule and  school work ” ( Arky and Steingard 1 ).  The change in environment does not help much either. Another  reason is that people with Autism have a hard time fitting in with their peers, being deemed too weird ( due to their difficulty with conversation / social interaction ( inability to detect sarcasm / jokes / idioms and taking everything literally ) and ‘ odd behaviors’  (like stimming or hyperfocuses ) or even dangerous ( due to their meltdowns and overloads ) meaning people with ASD spend a lot of time ‘ Masking ‘ or doing their best imitation of a neurotypical person. This can lead to an Autistic person dropping out of College dropping out and only 15 percent of people with ASD graduating from a four year College ( Pectu, Zhand and Li 1 )  

Sensory processing is another issue with people of the Autism Spectrum, having either being overly sensitive or under sensitive with touch, taste, sound , smell and light which causes problems in learning and social settings. Bright lights , loud sounds and food textures are common catalysts for overloads and meltdowns. Aversions to touch and textures such as not wanting physical contact with other people or the feel of certain fabrics or certain styles of clothing are also super common in people with Autism. It is recommended by the Indiana Resource Center for Autism for ”  people with ASD to bring sunglasses , hats , ear plugs or a sensory device to class to help them cope ” ( Malone 1 )( Wheeler 1 ). Many people with ASD also have high stress and anxiety especially with big changes like going to College and potentially moving into the College dorms away from their parents. This stress tends to lead Autistic people into coping or soothing mannerisms known as Stimming ( short for self stimulation ) that seem strange or rude to others such as flapping their hands , chewing on clothing or going on a rant about a topic they are interested in. Experts like Ms.Karen Wang does not recommend discouraging stimming, saying that “ not only is everyone stimming but that getting rid of one stim will only make another to replace it “ ( Wang 1 ). So it is very difficult for people with ASD to transition from High School to College, since Students are expected to be a lot more independent and their schedules change drastically, which tends to stress them out thus making them stim and overload even more than usual.

There are ways to make it easier for Autistic Students to navigate the college campus and make the transition from High School to College much less difficult. Sites like the Autism Research Institute and Graduate Programs for Educators recommend on “  having documentation of their child’s ASD ( this advice is for parents ) , since a big reason that so many people with ASD  go without support is because they do not disclose that they are  Autistic to the School Board or Teachers though sites like the Autism / Asperger Network does not think that it matters unless the student want to explain strange patterns in their grades or explain why they might need to leave the room if they get overloaded and any other behavior that may seem odd to an Educator. It is also important to know what exactly is in the Disabilities Act and what accommodations they or their family members are entitled to for their Autism ( such as a single room dorm or more leniency on time )” ( Endlich 1)(Malone 1 ) . Having a Consistent schedule is also a huge help.  An Article by Higher Education Today ‘ College on the Autism Spectrum ‘ states that “ People on the Autism Spectrum do better when going to a Community College ( or any two year College ) due to the smaller campus, smaller student body and lower cost ( which puts less pressure on the student if they can not handle being in college and need to drop out ). It also helps that Community Colleges tend to be close to home, so that they have friends and family near them. “ ( Anderson 1 ) 

So to summarize this essay : Autism is a developmental disability that affects Learning, Sensory processing and Social skills. The main reason People with Autism have a more difficult time in Higher Education than in High School is due to lack of proper support after they reach the age of 18 and only a few Colleges have programs specialized for people with ASD. Ways to make it easier ; get diagnosed and have the documentation, disclose having ASD, make sure to have a routine and have a proper support system like family, friends or good teachers / professors. 

 

Sources

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