<p>My daughter is incredibly bright but with many challenges, especially maturity, social, and organization skills. She is interested in Theater and Japanese. Prefer Northeast, but open. Really looking for a well-defined program for kids on the spectrum.</p>
<p>Try posting on the parent's board where you'll find lots of knowledge that will help.</p>
<p>I know I read an article stating Carnegie Mellon has a program for kids on the spectrum. Some other schools worth mentioning are the schools in the Penn State system, Vermont, and Seton Hall.</p>
<p>I know an aspie who went to Edgewood College in Madison, WI. Apparently they had a good program for him. He also has severe food allergies and was able to work around that there as well.</p>
<p>Landmark</a> College | The premier college for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD.</p>
<p>Landmark College specializes in teaching students with learning difficulties.</p>
<p>NYIT</a> - Academics - Vocational Independence (VIP)</p>
<p>Depending on the severity of the Aspergers, you may want to investigate the program offered at NYITech which is specific to college aged kids on the spectrum. It has two tracks--1. for those who need to learn living skills and job skills 2.--for those that need to learn living skills, job skills, and can go on and manage college classes. My friend's son is in the "college track". This is his first year there and he's taking pre-college classes to prepare him for taking college classes in the second year. For the first time in his life, he has a social life with real friends.</p>
<p>You'll find that in the past 10-15 years, most college Disabled Student Services offices have become pretty well-versed in working with Asperger's students. I would recommend that your D consider smaller schools, which are more likely to deal with students as individuals rather than in aggregate. The greatest difficulty I've found in working with Asperger's students is that because they are typically bright and their physical appearance doesn't necessarily hint at a disability, some faculty members may interpret their inability to pick up on cues regarding social appropriateness as willful disruptiveness. This is where it's helpful to be at a smaller school, at which staff in Student Affairs can help an instructor who has complained to understand the student's challenges. A meeting with the Director of Disabled Student Services at each school should make it pretty apparent to you how Aspergers-savvy that administrator is.</p>
<p>Landmark College and it's in the northeast</p>
<p>Unfortunately I am not very familiar with schools in the northeast so cannot provide specific recommendations but I agree with gadad that you might want to focus on a smaller liberal arts school that not only can provide the specific accommodations that your d would need, but ALSO has a good program for your d's area of interest AND offers extracurricular opportunities that your d could become involved in.</p>
<p>There do not seem to be many programs specifically geared for students with Asperger's; generally they are focused more on the specific need or disability. Marshall University in Virginia has a program for autistic students. Some schools offer more structured, one-on-one programs for LD students but these are often fee-based; however, this might be something to consider. There are also a few private programs that provide academic, independent living skills and social skills support, such as AHEADD and College Living Experience. I think AHEADD originated in Pittsburgh and served students attending Carnegie Mellon and some of their success stories with students with Asperger's have been in the news; they have expanded to to other locations including New York and Washington DC, so you might want to check out their website if this type of program is of interest to you. </p>
<p>College</a> Living Experience – A College Program for Students with Special Needs – Home</p>
<p>Autism</a> Support & Advocacy for College - AHEADD</p>
<p>I have seen a list of schools on one Asperger's website that you might want to look at (although it may be outdated):</p>
<p>ASPFI</a> - Asperger Foundation International - College Resource Guide</p>
<p>Another thought is to look at some of the Colleges That Change Lives (either the book by Loren Pope or their website):</p>
<p>Colleges</a> That Change Lives</p>
<p>Finally, if you have not already read this, I would recommend reading Ann Palmer's book, "Realizing the College Dream With Autism or Asperger Syndrome: A Parent's Guide to Student Success" which provides some very useful information with respect to selecting a college and finding the right fit, and more importantly, preparing your student for the specific college he/she chooses. </p>
<p>Good luck to you and your d!</p>
<p>We too are looking into colleges for our son who is extremely bright, has very significant ADHD and Executive Function issues and most recently developed depression which has impeded his consistent school attendance. I have looked at Landmark College, in Putney, VT. </p>
<p>The website is:Landmark</a> College | The premier college for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD.</p>
<p>It's Mission Statement includes the following:</p>
<p>Landmark College’s mission is to transform the way students learn, educators teach and the public thinks about education. We provide highly accessible approaches to learning that empower individuals who learn differently to exceed their aspirations and to achieve their greatest potential. Through the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training, the College aims to extend its mission across the nation and throughout the world.</p>
<p>Our Impact</p>
<p>Landmark College is a two-year liberal arts institution of higher education, serving students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders, which fosters the capacity for independent creative thought, and engaged and responsible world citizenship. Integrating principles of universal design and strategic learning within a technology-rich, learning-centered environment, Landmark’s faculty and staff bring unprecedented experience and expertise to their work with students. In the classrooms and residence halls, through the advising model, and through an extensive network of support systems, students receive a high degree of individual attention as they develop self-understanding, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning skills, and learn to function autonomously in mainstream settings.</p>
<p>Our son had wanted to go to Cornell University for Math, probably Computational Math. However, due to his difficulty this year, he now hopes to attend the local community college and then go to either Cornell or some place like Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Landmark College looks like it might be some place to consider. Good luck anderonia.</p>
<p>Dear Anderonia,
I too am looking at colleges for my AS son who is a rising Junior. It's tough actually. I am frustrated by the public high school's push for him to look at colleges that are low level with acceptance rates above 75% and GPAs in the 2s. Unfortunately, because the way my son has been 'tracked', those schools would be his safeties, as he has not been allowed to be in very many honors classes, though in French, with his gift of languages, he soars in French IV Honors. Because we are in a highly competitive high school, my son is in the bottom 30% of his class, due to his not being allowed to take honors classes, and a forced and needed study, lowering his ability to take electives. </p>
<p>He hopes to study international relations and foreign languages in college. This summer we are seeking out an experience that will help him transition to college, optimally at a place where he would like to attend after he graduates. It's been tough. These programs are very expensive.</p>
<p>Last summer he was able to attend a French Immersion Program in Nice, France, where he did wonderfully, though no real credit was given, just a certificate. This also worked because his older brother also attended the program, prior to his heading off to college. They lived together in host housing and I was blown away that everything went so smoothly. </p>
<p>This summer I am looking for a true independent situation for him that is well supported. I just looked at the Landmark program online and it does look great. I am a little worried however that it is only for kids with learning issues, and that hasn't been the best way for my son to excel historically. He does best when he needs "to rise to the occasion", like being in Honors French, or now Honors Physiology. Keeping him in lower level English, History, etc. has not helped him learn how to write a paper, take good notes, nor help with his organization. Some of those things require that you step it up in upper level classes. A B or a C in an Honors class is much better than an easy A in a CP/college prep class. And with my son, he will level where he is placed. [but that's another post all together]</p>
<p>I just found this link that might be helpful. It has programs all over the US for students with learning differences. Some of the links are not active, but the schools that have the programs are there: </p>
<p>SUMMER</a> PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS- 2008 | HEATH Resource Center</p>
<p>I also need to get back to the AS websites for further current info from other parents and professionals.
AANE in Massachusetts is great:</p>
<p>Asperger's</a> Association of New England - AANE</p>
<p>as is OASIS:</p>
<p>Asperger</a> Syndrome</p>
<p>Please let me know if you have any success in your search. PM me anytime or post here.</p>
<p>Thanks,
CCL</p>
<p>Dear lsullivan,</p>
<p>All the best to your son. I hope that he does find the right fit, and gets to where he wants to be. My son wants to go to Penn with his brother! Sadly, that is not a reality that we could dream of, based upon his academic resume, not his AS or IQ. </p>
<p>Having said that, Brown has a summer program that I'm going to look into anyway :)</p>
<p>Be cautious about Landmark.
While their mission statement seems like a parents dream, be sure to ask the difficult questions when you visit. How much actual support? Are the kids tracked?
What is the default position for a struggling student? What types of services are easily available and how do students go about requesting support?</p>
<p>While not looking to bash ANY school, I know two families who have had similar, less than wonderful experiences with the school and administration at Landmark. Currently one of the most expensive schools in the country, these families felt that their students were not well served and slipped through the cracks when they began to do poorly academically. Neither student had the adequate follow through or support that is necessary when away from the home network.</p>
<p>That said, both students enjoyed the school socially. Perhaps too much, as with any other college experience, adjusting to a new social hierarchy was as time consuming and unstructured as any other college in the country.</p>
<p>Bottom line, both students failed multiple classes because of homework not turned in. Neither student got the support that the parents were assured that they would receive to prevent this. When speaking to the administration, neither family felt that their issues were addressed, and that the support serves were no better (or worse) than any other school. Both families ultimately removed their students.</p>
<p>It's true that college is the first time that many student live away from home and are tasked with performing in different ways. However, when a school's claim to fame is that they assist bright students with learning differences, the expectations are raised.</p>
<p>Make sure that you understand what this school can and cannot reasonably promise.</p>
<p>Other residential schools to look at might be Mitchell or Curry.
Of course the same caveat applies...</p>
<p>Dear Hop,</p>
<p>Thanks SO much for the head's up. I forgot about Mitchell. We did speak with them at a college fair and have been inudated with mail. The place looks gorgeous, though it is expensive, and does not have the majors my son is looking for currently.</p>
<p>Clark and Assumption are promising prospects for us, but my son did not like Assumption too well after he caught on that I liked it, even though I was blown away and everyone I know has loved, loved it. Great school, gated, safe, attentive, great opportunties to study abroad. </p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Thanks to hop for the comments on Landmark. We'll be attending the Open House next weekend and I'll be very attentive to your comments. Our son has that problem now of not turning in homework. Brightness is great but somedays it feels like our son can't fight his way out of a paper bag. He has poor self advocacy skills, barely emails, calls, leaves a voice message, etc for teachers. Thanks again for your comments.</p>
<p>Dear Transitionsuccess:</p>
<p>I think disclosure is a very personal decision, and whether or not the roommate 'leveled' with your son, should not have made a difference as to how he treated him. </p>
<p>In the AS world you learn very quickly how people can turn on you [or feel sorry for you] if you suddenly have a 'syndrome' as you put it. </p>
<p>I honestly don't think it really is relevant that someone disclose, unless there is a reason. There are plenty of quirky people, both on and off the spectrum and we don't going around asking everyone to label themselves. If your son thought his roommate was an 'oddity' from the get-go, I don't think naming it would have made a difference. </p>
<p>BTW, MIT and most engineering institutions [as well as college campuses in general/professors] have a huge number of AS individuals. They've been doing well at colleges well before AS ever had a name identifying it as a 'disability' or syndrome.</p>
<p>lsullivan - How did your visit go?</p>
<p>I just finished two years at Landmark College and will be transferring to Vanderbilt University in the Fall. Send me a message if you’d like quality insight and advice on attending Landmark College.</p>
<p>Students with autism and students with learning disabilities do not learn well in the same school. They should consider creating a school only for students with autism.</p>
<p>Has anybody gone through the interview process for the autism support program at Marshall? I’m wondering if you could fill me in on what it was like.</p>
<p>I wonder what happened with the OP, who started this thread in January 2009? </p>
<p>The Princeton Review book on Colleges for LD’s is very helpful, we have used it.</p>