From High School to College: Providing Successful Supports to Students Making the Transition

Successful transitioning from high school to college can be an intimidating and sometimes difficult experience. For students who live with the typical challenges associated with autism spectrum disorders, that transition can be overwhelming, and even unmanageable without support. This presentation will address how the proper supports designed to meet the specific needs of each individual, promote resilience and are based in person-centered planning can reduce the challenges of this significant life transition, and make for a more successful college experience. In addition to the increased academic demands of college, students entering higher education for the first time often struggle with increasingly complex social constructs, the responsibilities associated with living alone and the difficulty of “juggling it all.” To meet these increased demands, students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) must begin preparing for college as early as possible, to ensure skills exist to make the transition from high school successful, and to ensure proper supports are in place at the college or university of their choice.

During the session, attendees will: (a) Hear a first-person account of a student who has successfully made the transition from high school to college, including a description of the challenges that his transition posed, and the solutions created to effectively support the student; (b) Learn about support plans that can be carried out by high school counselors to effectively prepare students to transition from high school to college, including: ensuring curricula is designed to teach students with ASD the skills necessary to transition into college, strategies designed to support that transition, and the importance of working closely with college support staff to ensure a smooth transition; and (c) Learn about person-centered planning that has been successful in supporting students as they transition into college, and the strategies designed to support the student effectively during the college experience. A discussion of the strategies that provide support and assistance with high school to college transition will be held in depth. Emphasis will be on methods that look at holistic means of supporting students transitioning into college, including social skill development, communication skill building, self-assessment and academic support. The session will include an overview of the positive behavior support approach that facilitates the analysis of life-skill and academic challenges, and drives the person-centered approach to resolving those challenges. Specifically, the use of the PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) and MAP (Making Action Plans) models to recognize and analyze barriers to a successful transition to college, and the use of those tools in developing individualized, progressive strategies to assist and support the teen with ASD as they develop the skills necessary for that transition.