When Jose Perez finished high school in Massachusetts, he took the advice of counselors who advised him to check out the range of opportunities at his local community college. He says it's been all good - Jose has taken courses towards certification to become an educational paraprofessional, some music classes, an ASL course, and participates in several campus organizations and clubs, including the student senate. He's also dedicated to working with campus police on de-escalation techniques, as he himself experienced improper treatment when hospitalized. Jose has been enrolled in classes at HCC for a few years and takes the paratransit to campus, something he learned to do after the pandemic. Now he's looking forward to getting his certification so he can help students in the same transition program he used when charting a path from high school to vocational training. He's joined on this episode by Rebecca Leporati, a counselor at HCC, who explains the scope of degree and non-degree options for community college students.

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Tony Yau shared every twist and turn in his college career with the Autism Goes to College audience. From his first semester at the University of Oregon to a re-orienting stopover at community college and on to St. Mary's, Tony's been generous with his candid takes on college life. Some of his insights: Don't over do it with DoorDash, don't hesitate to switch majors, or, even colleges. Because what Tony reveals in this final episode of his undergrad experience is that once you're in the right place studying something you care about, it can all flow a lot better. Oh yeah, and he definitely did not like the wrap around support dorm for neurodivergent students. He likes his decompression and down time, so an off campus solo apartment made all the difference. And now, he has his degree. Hear about Tony's internship, and what's next on this episode.

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In this special edition ep, Autism Goes to College goes to college with this live event taping recorded at UCLA. Two students, Jenny M. and Danny N. share their stories of navigating from community college to UCLA with our host, Katharine O'Brien. Insights include hacks and how-tos for transfer students, accessing evaluations and accommodations, and how mental health counseling might make all the difference. Bonus: Ryan Neale returns with an update on how it's going as he heads into his junior year, and the latest developments with the student self-advocacy and social space he founded on campus, the Bruin Neurodiversity Collective. Have you heard of body doubling? You probably want to know about this.

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