Would love feedback for best colleges for twice exceptional student with ASD/ADHD and communication challenges. He’s needing/desiring these features:
-Access to Coops/Internships (to reduce impact upon EFC due to such income being excluded on line 43f) and for experience
-Robotics and/or Formula One, CaseSAT programs/clubs…something where he can get involved
-Proactive supports for executive function skills and communication.
-Prefer 2+ times/week and scheduled on weekly basis with SAME individual.
-Required study sessions may help.
-He struggles with task initiation, planning/organizing, and reaching out to professors or others for help…and often isn’t aware when he needs to. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know until it is too late.
-May need social supports to get involved but then does fine.
-May need some minor supports with life-school balance and independent living (ie task initiation and guidance with cleaning, paying bills, etc.)
-Tutoring or easy access to TA’s willing to tutor on side
-Possibly TRIO program
-Prefer non-urban city
-High rate of financial need being met
-Prefer on campus housing and/or reduce transporation
-Resident of Oregon but open to other states
Background:
-Current Junior
-Enrolled 100% time in dual college credit program and on IEP for social skills, communication, executive writing, independent livng skills, etc.
-Freshman year high school w only natural supports 3.85 but bored.
-Sophmore, college dual credit, without supports (IEP) but not taking challenging courses or due to covid, passing with an “A” was just given to all students 4.0- withdrew from one.
-Junior-classes through Landmark Dual Credit program (for those with ADHD/ASD) 3.0 GPA and college engineering courses 3.5 GPA. Also a “C” in physics with calculus (no supports in place yet) due to difficulty with executive function and analysis/conclusion drawing skills (related to ASD and language deficits) but will retake this next year to improve grade. Got 95% of tests but “F’s” on labs due to writing/semantics, etc.
-Overall GPA is about 3.5 unweighted and 4.4 weighted. Will have about 60 semseter hours in college credits when graduates from high school. Will have taken college calculus, differenital equations, discrete math, physics with calculus sequence, college writing, etc.
-SAT 1300 with 680 in math and 600 in reading (no prior studying).
-Works to support self about 10-15 hours/week as an engineering intern
-Was extensively involved in FTC and FLL until recently (when needed to start supporting self)
-Plays strings for local youth orchestra at intermediate level
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Willamette first comes to mind if you want to stick to Oregon. Has a fee-based ASD support program. Rochestor Insitute of Technology comes to mind next. Also has a fee-based ASD support program plus amazing co-op programs. Other colleges with ASD support programs to check out (some fee based, some not): Cal Berkeley, Cal Poly SLO, Hofstra, Marquette, Drexel, University of Denver, Boston University, American, St. Joseph’s, Lynn, and Rutgers. Also check out University of Iowa, University of Illinois - Urbana Champagne and William & Mary . . . public schools with no formal program but very supportive of neurodiverse students. Finally, check out UConn, which has a fee-based executive functioning support program for anyone willing to pay, not just neurodiverse students (I also think it has a Learning Community for engineering students on the spectrum, but don’t quote me on that). All the previous schools require the student get into college on their own merit; apply for ASD program and support after admittance.
You may also want to check out outside support programs for college students: Mansfield Hall and Virtual Hall.
Obviously, some of the above-mentioned schools are located in cities. And, I am not sure about financial need met. But, the list gives you a place to start your research. Good luck!
RIT is a perfect fit with their coop program and SSP program , where you can get a coach. please look into it.
I don’t have school recommendations but wanted to share a bit. My son is not intellectually gifted like your son, but shares some of the other struggles. One thing he FINALLY has found worthy of his time is to email all his professors before the semester introducing himself, explaining his areas of weakness and providing certain examples of small things they can offer to help. He didn’t want to go through disability services and “doesnt want anyone to know” but he is learning that by being an advocate for himself, it is worth it!
He bombed two assignments (education major) because he didn’t know that “include all scripted language” meant he needed to write like a narrator. If it was a different word choice he would have. So he explained that later and two teachers let him resubmit. Little things like this.
As one professor explained, we don’t give right handed scissors to young kids anymore who are left handed, we just give them left handed scissors because that’s what they need to be successful…and I’ll do my best to help give you what you need too.
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Thank you for your responses! We are working on “introduction emails” but he is struggling with them. He kind of doesn’t want to be treated “differently” in part due to his many years at a private school that really provided tons of support … until 7th-8th grade where he started bombing. The principal couldn’t understand how a kid given a multiple choice test could get 100% on tests and be so knowledgeable yet write like 3rd grader. He wouldn’t participate much in discussions (task initiation , give/take in conversations) but when asked a direct question cold answer it easily if he was given the time he needed to form a response. He’s been getting F’s on labs in his physics classes but high scores on his multiple choice tests. Th labs require analysis, drawing conclusions, inferences, etc. Sometimes he gets stick on the littlest thing (ie not seeing the little “2” in an equation (ie squared) and well get stuck for HOURS. He has no concept of time management and lacks self awareness.
We’re also needing a place where the profs/advisors are pro-active…ones that will follow up and seek him out if he doesn’t seek them… maybe one that makes you sign a “contract” if you want to join their support program so he is held accountable. If it isn’t required, it usually isn’t done! He took courses through Landmark and when he didn’t meet with a prof like he was supposed to, they emailed him…saying, “hey…you ghosted me!” and required him to meet with the teacher for 20 minutes each week. They had built in scaffolding and exec function skills. Please keep ideas and insights coming and we’ll be checking into places recommended.
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