Concerned about finding suitable colleges -- I have Asperger's Syndrome and OCD

College Search & Selection
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<p>When I first started the college search some years ago (yes, years -- I was a bit enthusiastic), I neglected one thing: my mental issues.</p>

<p>You see, I happen to have Asperger's Syndrome and moderate to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. </p>

<p>I'm a senior in high school. My deadlines are fast approaching (luckily, the earliest one is still over a month off) and I'm starting to fear that the schools on my list will not be suitable for me. Suddenly, the realization that I am going to have to have a roommate is getting to me. Oh yes, I had considered this before, but it never really hit me.</p>

<p>I am selectively mute. I cannot look people whom I do not know very, very well in the eyes. I loathe almost any form of touch. I'm sensitive to loud noises (that might be an understatement -- does the word "meltdown" mean anything to you?). I need a very large amount of time by myself to recuperate from social contact. I do stim a bit, and I don't really know how a potential roommate would react to the fact that her roommate has a tendency to rock and scratch at her scalp. As I have great difficulty deciphering facial expressions and sarcasm, I also see potential for miscommunication between my roommate and I.</p>

<p>In addition, my obsessive-compulsive disorder does require me to complete a large number of compulsions that I think would unnerve any potential roommate. Sometimes my OCD gets a bit out of hand, and causes me to spend a considerable amount of time on one non-functional task and the most severe spells often result in a bit of a meltdown. While I am working on my OCD, this is something that I have been dealing with for most of my life; it is a battle that has been fraught with many setbacks, and thus the severity of my obsessions and compulsions fluctuates greatly.</p>

<p>I found out that some of the colleges on my list do not even offer single dorms. The ones that do give these almost exclusively to upperclassmen. In fact, I was recently informed that one of them only has doubles and triples, and that underclassmen usually receive the triples. Now, colleges that were looking close to perfect are starting to look far from it.</p>

<p>Is there any way that this can be made more manageable for me? Are there schools that are known for policies that would allow me some leeway in housing? If I can provide documentation of my diagnoses, would colleges be more inclined to make an exception for me in housing?</p>

<p>Thank you very much for any assistance you can provide.</p>

2

<p>Look into whether or not schools have medical singles. If you can get a doctor to say that you need a single room the school is likely to oblige.</p>

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<p>Do you know how I would be able to find this out? Should I contact an admissions counselor for this information or someone else?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

4

<p>I believe so. If admissions doesn’t know, they’ll likely forward your question to the housing department or disabilities office.</p>

5

<p>Ah, good. I’m never sure who to contact for what purpose. Thanks again.</p>

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<p>VioletIris -</p>

<p>I think you should re-post this in the Parents Forum. There you will get useful advice from people whose children have challenges similar to yours. If you include the names of some of the colleges that you have on your list, you should be able to get feedback about the quality of the disabilities staff there, and whether accommodations are likely.</p>

<p>In addition to looking at colleges where you would have to live on campus, you should consider places where you could live off campus. You might be happiest in your own small apartment where you would not need to share space with anyone else at all.</p>

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<p>Oh, that sounds like a great idea. I’ll do that.</p>

<p>And thanks. I’m a little worried about money, but if I can swing it, I shall definitely look into getting my own small apartment. I know that some colleges require students to live on campus, but luckily, I’m not applying to any of them.</p>

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<p>I agree that it would be a huge mistake, and a great stress inducer, for you to live with a roommate (and, frankly, a very unfair situation for the other student). Definitely contact the schools’ disabilities offices as your first step. They are the folks who would coordinate the process of getting a medical single. And just because a school doesn’t seem to have single rooms, doesn’t mean you couldn’t be accommodated in some way–by putting you by yourself in a small double, for example. </p>

<p>By talking to the disabilities people, you’ll also get an idea of how substantial and effective the function is at each school. It really varies. When my D, who has ADHD and a learning disability, was college shopping, I called one school where the head of the disabilities office jumped right on the phone to answer my inquiries; we visited another where the office was basically a closet with a staff of one who never seemed to be there. </p>

<p>Another important point–make sure your diagnoses have been recently updated and your caregiver(s) is/are prepared to provide a detailed discussion of your condition and needs. You’ll need more than a mere doctor’s note to substantiate your disabilities, and it sounds as if you’ll need more support than just a single room. For example, you may need to be exempted from the expectation that you participate in class discussions or work on group projects. If you have an IEP in high school, that will be you starting point. And now is the time to address that piece of the puzzle, not next May. You really need your parents to be involved in this part of the college application process-it’s more than a high schooler should be expected to manage alone.</p>

<p>Finally, and I don’t mean to be throwing cold water on your plans, please consider seriously whether you will be able to handle college beyond the issue of housing. Adjusting to living away from home can be difficult even for the neurotypical student. With the stresses of living on your own, adjusting to a very different environment–one that’s often noisy and tumultuous–and juggling classes and studying schedules, will you be able to handle academics that are more demanding than those in high school? Consider easing into college by attending a local school and living at home for a couple of years. (This would also be a great money-saver.) That pathway may not sound ideal, but from the description you’ve provided, it seems to me that you could be at a high risk of being overwhelmed at college and having to withdraw, a result that would be far worse. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best.</p>