College Bound

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	http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/05/ BAPGRB0IS1.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea COLLEGE BOUND A weekly guide to higher education Sunday, August 5, 2007 I recently received a letter from a reader inquiring about college for students with Asperger's syndrome. The letter inspired me to investigate the college options for these students. Students with Asperger's have a form of autism and have difficulty with social skills and interpersonal communication. They are often, but not always, highly intelligent and can sometimes function quite well in academic settings. For this reason, parents of these students are often curious about options in higher education. "Realizing the College Dream With Autism or Asperger Syndrome," by Ann Palmer, is the story of her son's diagnosis with autism and his journey to college. It is also an excellent guide for other parents in similar situations. In a telephone interview, Palmer said she feels fortunate that her son Eric was diagnosed in preschool and that he received services early. Although Eric was fully included in a typical classroom setting by third grade, his mother, who lives in North Carolina, wasn't sure that college would be an option for him. She wanted to keep the door to higher education open, so when Eric started high school she decided to put him in a college track. "My husband and I wanted for Eric what we wanted for our other children," she said. "We didn't want to think of it any other way. Eric wanted to go to college." After Eric did well on his SATs, Palmer began to consider college learning environments for him and thought a community college close to home would be best. However, Eric was academically eligible for a university, and he wanted to live independently in a dorm with other students. "Eric wasn't nervous about strangers living around him," she said. "He wanted to make his own decisions about what he ate, when he slept, what he watched on TV." An animal science program at North Carolina State University also intrigued him. Though Eric seemed able to handle the academics of college, Palmer was nervous about others taking advantage of him. So, the summer before college she and Eric "went over a lot of things to prepare him for living alone." She said Eric's college experience was great. Although he didn't participate in many social activities and lived in a single dorm room, he graduated in five years with a degree in anthropology. Palmer speaks highly of North Carolina State, saying, "They have a history of working with students on the autism spectrum, and have good disabled students services." Today, Eric is employed at the university. He lives independently, and Palmer says he is "happy, but very alone. He doesn't have friends, but isn't lonely, either. He takes the bus to work, pays his own bills." Not all high school graduates with Asperger's are ready for a full time four-year college experience. Peter Finch of San Francisco told me he is spending the summer helping his son, Davis, prepare to attend a local community college next winter. Finch said Davis had a stressful senior year and will benefit from taking the summer and fall to relax. Finch didn't think that a dorm situation or a four-year college would create a successful environment, so Davis will commute from home and take a few courses at a time. "That way," Finch said, "it will be positive from the get-go." He expressed pride in his son's accomplishments and emphasized that students with Asperger's syndrome are all unique. Ann Palmer's book encourages families to take the time to determine their students' needs in college. Her book is filled with hope and she believes that with early intervention and strong support from colleges and families, many students with the syndrome will be able to attend college. E-mail Joanne Levy-Prewitt at jklprewitt@gmail.com. Joanne Levy-Prewitt is an independent college admissions adviser who works with students throughout the Bay Area This article appeared on page B - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle WHen i was getting around high school aged my parents wanted colllage. I started out at a community collage about 15 miles away from where I lived (i still lived at home during those 2 years) I did great, deans list, graduated high honors, associate degree. I then went to a private school, it was surrounded by nice mountains, very isolated, and lots of lakes, streams, and miles of woods all around, great location, I did not do a ton of social stuff, spent much time going up the mountains, snowshoeing, doing school work (i never studied, did not have 2) hiking, canoeing, and even worked as a tutor for a while. It was a good place, problem was the roommate situation, they were cool at first, but I could not stand, never had a roommate b4, as I always grew up in my own room, and plus my 'condition' makes it hard to live with someone like that, never did i get a single room, and living in the dorm was hell, so i spent as much time outdoors, or in the library doing work, it was so rough not wanting to go to the room, did nothing but sleep their anyways, that was a horrible part of collage, i did so well, did excellent work for every class, but in the end, i had enough and did not return to finish my last 2 semesters, never attained my bachelors degree, came home, worked, got involved in other things for a while, and got kinda achored down with a full time job and a place. I regret not trying to make better living arrangements in collage, what could I do? Heh. Just somethin to think about i suppose when ya get to that point. Independence was good, learning experience, but I hated roommate living. ALso, from what I understand, many AS or HFA end up working where they are often over qualified. This is unfortunatly my case, im the only 1 where I work with a collage degree. Although i wish to change that this winter of possible.woodsman2539299.6444212963 Thanks so much for both your posts. I've been wondering the very same for my son. Granted he's not even in preschool, but it's something I've been thinking about. I was fortunate enough to keep a single room in college. I got stuck with a roommate twice. I scared the first one off within 3 months. He had so much stuff he wanted to take over the whole room and when I wouldn't let him spread over into my half of the room he requested a single and moved out ASAP. The second one came along a couple of years later, and without notice. I came back to my room one night to find all of his stuff moved into my room and it caused me to have a meltdown. I managed to calm my nerves and the next day I threw a fit at the administration office because I was being charged for a single room and expected to have one. They assured he was only temporary, and within a couple of weeks he would moved to a room of his own. I told them they could have WARNED me ahead of time, and I went back in there about every other day just to keep them on their toes. They had him moved in about a week. I too seem to often work in places where I'm overqualified (like child care). I am slated to begin substitute teaching this year when I could be a certified teacher. Subbing is less responsibility out of the gate and I might be able to learn the ropes with less pressure.    My oldest son is 10 and has AS.  He already talks about going to college.  It's just casual talk that goes along with talking about what he might like to be when he grows up.  He surprised me by brining up the fact he does not want a roommate.  I couldn't believe he was thinking this far ahead!   He seemed relieved when I told him he didn't have to have one.  After reading this article and the posts by Rainman and Stickboy, not having a roommate seems to be an important factor in helping your child succeed at college.  Good to know!  Having your own room is HUGE because it's the only way you can "escape" the other people when you need to. It was necessary for me to regroup periodically in order to be able to be social. That is only possible if you have your own "space" to escape to.heh, I just would dissapear into the adirondack wildreness all afternoon, sometimes even at night, which is awsome but u cant get any work done hiding, i did alot of the library thing, and tended to do more school work for projects, essasy, ect then normal, resulting in good grades, i just hated not being able to go 'home' because some dude was in that 15'X15' room with me. Ya, no question about it, in collage, a single room for us is ESSENTIAL!!Also makes me want to always live near a major university. That way, if J's not ready to live on his own, he might have other options than just community college.... I am definitely going to remember this thread. Thanks, everyone.Thanks for sharing the article.  It pays to think ahead. Nick said "Having your own room is HUGE because it's the only way you can "escape" the other people when you need to."   DITO, DITTO, DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to escape to a quiet place for a little bit every day, several times a day.  As I mentioned on another post about sharing rooms, that was the hardest part about not having my own room growing up...not being able to get away without being bothered.
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