College Experiences for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Thirty years ago it was rare for a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to enter college. However, over the past decades with the increased awareness and detection of ASD in children with average or above average intellectual abilities (Christensen et al. 2016) and with the improved provisions of effective, evidence-based treatments (Reichow and Volkmar 2011) many students with ASD are now seeking enrollment in college (Volkmar et al. 2017). In the USA alone there are roughly 550,000 children with ASD who will be transitioning into adulthood over the next decade (Buescher et al. 2014), and it is expected that approximately 45% of these emerging adults will enroll in a university,
college, or technical/vocational school in the coming years (Newman et al. 2011). This is a promising trend, as completion of a post-secondary degree is a significant predictor of positive adult outcomes in ASD populations, impacting the likelihood that an individual will be able to find employment, obtain financial independence, and live independently. However, students with ASD have a lower likelihood of completing their degree (38.8%) compared to students from the general population (52.4%) and those with disabilities in general (40.7%; Newman et al. 2011).