Knox has TRIO too, and seems good fit for high-functioning aspie students too, if this is relevant diagnosis. Town however has same issues as Earlham. Ditto Beloit. If art or music are strong interests, Olaf could be ideal, and include merit monies.
OP, sent you a private message.
Agree with the many suggestions above about small supportive LACs. My D2 has ADHD and other learning difference issues. She is a sophomore at Pitzer and absolutely thriving–not suggesting it for you because of the price tag. Part of her success is that she is able to self-advocate for support; another part of her success is that Pitzer is the kind of environment where the students are very upfront about their struggles, both academic and personal. Going to a highly competitive school where students pride themselves in presenting a calm, capable facade would’ve been a mistake.
One of her closest friends–a brilliant, lovely boy, with learning differences and other struggles–is a sophomore at Earlham. He’s going to be a Philosophy and Math major; has presented at an undergrad philosophy conference, and looks to be gathering some good mentors if he decides to pursue academia. He is very, very happy there. I’d wanted my D to consider Earlham, but we are in Southern Cal and she said it was just too far.
SALT seems to work well for some students, but not for all. At the very least, the student has to want to use the program. If the only reason he/she takes part is because the parents say they have to, things probably won’t go well. But that’s going to be true at any school–he MUST be invested in getting help when it’s needed! This is true for the best of students; far better to be going to office hours on a regular basis from the beginning than to only start at the end of the semester/quarter when it’s too late to dig yourself out of trouble.
He can also opt to take a gap year if he’s not happy with his admissions results from this cycle.
I had not heard of TRIO program. It could be a helpful option if my son qualifies. Its a bit of a conundrum for us though because he is so bright he usually doesn’t take good advantage of executive skills coaching or structuring of any kind. He just does it his way! So far he has been successful, but not without a lot of bumps in the road, objections from high school teachers who have a specific “way” of doing things, etc. I really do think that he is going to flourish in college where he can have a little more control over what classes he takes and how he approaches his own learning. But I’m definitely checking out these college suggestions. The smaller LAC’s like Beloit, Knox, St. Olaf, and some of the others mentioned here. THANK YOU ALL for taking the time to send me some advice. I truly appreciate it! Great timing, and very helpful!
My son, also on the Asperger’s spectrum and gifted, is at Oberlin with a nice merit scholarship. He does have a fairly heavy reading load and the social stuff is still a challenge for him. He says he has no real friends yet, but is not unhappy, and really loved his classes last semester. The professors really seem to care about their students, so I don’t think your son would fall through the cracks if he did go there.
The Ivies are a reach for everyone. My son had high SATs and a 4.7 when he graduated, but still didn’t get into Brown. Oberlin was his second choice and he is content there. I know it’s hard to pour out that Ivy koolaid when everyone else is slurping it down, but that really is the healthiest thing to do. It opens up so many more possibilities.
“pour out that Ivy koolaid when everyone else is slurping it down…” Love it, Massmomm! Oberlin is a wonderful college… and quite nearly ivy league in my book! Maybe because it is in the mid west, it hasn’t caught our son’s attention as a top tier school. Honestly, these teenage kids have been influenced by name-brand recognition their entire lives in everything from gym shoes to lunch snacks. Of course they will be relying on name brands when it comes to the selection of a college. (We used to try hard to buy clothes without any logos, but once the kids found Pokemon and manga, we gave up.) We are continuing to do our best to encourage our son to pour out the Ivy koolaid, but it is a hard sell. Especially at a time when the developmental task is to individuate (read: no longer listen to your parents’ advice.)
I’m so glad your son is finding his way at Oberlin. It speaks volumes that the professors care about the students. That is something we really want for our son – an experience that is hard to find anymore, which is why we are looking at schools like Earlham that have a strong focus on undergraduate teaching. Oberlin is on our list, though. We’ll see in the next few days if our son comes around and sends in the application to that ‘sub-Ivy’ school as well!
Thanks for sharing your personal experience with your son. I still feel a bit guilty when I post about our son… like I am betraying his confidence and infringing on his privacy. Even though I don’t name him. So when I read someone else’s frank and open disclosures of their struggles, I have to say that I feel a relief. And I don’t feel so alone.
With gratitude…
Your son would get substantial merit aid from Earlham and would be a big fish in a small pond. From what I hear, the academics are very challenging, so he wouldn’t find it too easy. Note, Earlham does not have a learning or other academic support center, if that is a service that would help your son with his transition to college. Have you looked at Clark?
I agree about the name branding, but it really should be possible to discuss these kinds of situations without slagging any particular school. Next year, I will have children at Yale, Skidmore, and Rutgers. At least 2 of them are at the right school for them (still not quite sure about Rutgers, but fingers crossed). Yale has been good for DS, who is not a status seeker. Yale does have students who are there for the wrong reasons, but that isn’t something found only at Ivies.
OP, I have no idea about the finances at Skidmore, but it might be an option to look at.
colchis wrote: Note, Earlham does not have a learning or other academic support center, if that is a service that would help your son with his transition to college.
Actually, Earlham does provide such services; its called the Academic Enhancement center: http://www.earlham.edu/academic-enrichment-center/disability-services/
My daughter, who is eligible for such services, hasn’t used them much although they gave her a smart pen at the first meeting and they make some tech, such as Kurzweil scan/read software, available to all students. What tripped my daughter up was remembering to give in her paperwork (for extended time and the like) to each instructor, which is ironic that that is required for ADHD students! But I think that’s a FERPA thing although I just wish the AEC would just send that all to the instructors, perhaps with student permission. Who has really helped my daughter is her advisor, who checks in with her periodically if she doesn’t see her or work was handed in late (or not at all).
I know one boy who got great support at Allegheny College (visual processing issues) after derailing elsewhere and another on the spectrum who blossomed at Mercyherst. I don’t know much about the latter (except that they have a good lax team!), but have been delighted by how well this young man is doing socially (and his parents have been happy with the academic support…)
Allegheny is one of the “40 colleges that change lives”, I think, and is often mentioned with Earlham, Wooster, Beloit, etc. May be worth a look.
I would suggest Trinity University in San Antonio. Your son would likely receive a nice merit award.
I’ve heard good things about Allegheny but just like College of Wooster, it requires a senior thesis in order to graduate and for some students that might be too much of an organizational and attention challenge. On the other hand, a lot can happen over 4 years. I just didn’t want that pressure over my DD’s head although I’ll be thrilled and impressed if she ends up doing a thesis voluntarily when she’s a senior.