This fall there's been a firehose of autism news -- stirring up old controversies, confusing parents and families, impacting students on the spectrum now at college, and even challenging autism researchers. In this special episode, host Katharine O'Brien talks with Dr. Katherine Meltzoff, professor of education at UCRiverside and director of the SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center about how teaching and learning about autism is being impacted and how students on the spectrum are faring. Big picture, one possible outcome could be a re-segmenting the autism spectrum.

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Both Jasmine and Aniella graduated from UCRiverside and found jobs pretty quickly doing what they hoped to do. For Jasmine, putting her engineering degree to work on a project with the California Department of Transportation was a dream job, while Aniella still feels lucky to be working in the entertainment industry in LA. But after a few years in the work world, both decided to go back for more schooling, part time. In this episode they talk with host Katharine O'Brien (a Phd student with autism) about why they decided to go back for more school, what's different about grad school, and how they each hope the investment in an added credential could help them meet future goals. Interested in Antarctica and tips on time management? This ep has it all.

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Peri begins her junior year at UCLA this fall quarter, and she's back to tell the story of her decision to transfer from a small liberal arts college in the northeast to a big public university much closer to home. UCLA is the most applied-to school in the country. So how did she do it? And why? In this episode, Peri talks about her decision to leave Hamilton, how it went taking classes at Santa Monica Community College for a couple of years, and how she chose four schools, all closer to home, as targets for her transfer. Peri discusses finding her strengths, overcoming struggles, and offers insights on what works for her as a student on the spectrum.

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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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L chose a college experience that started out at the liberal arts-focused, smaller Oxford College campus of Emory University. Coming from a small school in Savannah, it was a choice that felt like a great fit for a lot of reasons. Smaller class sizes, a smaller student body, and less chaotic than the giant campus and Atlanta scene that are part of a typical Emory experience. Academically, L found it ideal. But still, some aspects of college life were hard to navigate. And she continued to struggle with a familiar difficulty: initiating relationships. Listening to a friend talk about similar challenges during her freshman and sophomore years, L started to learn something about herself: maybe... I'm autistic? At first, she says, that seemed unlikely. But the more L listened and learned, the more she felt like, actually, this might explain a lot. So, she decided to get evaluated. L tells her story about getting into college, not even considering looking for a school with accommodations and leaving college better prepared for the road ahead with both her degree and a much greater understanding of who she is.

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The number of neurodivergent students in college keeps rising. Around 20% of college students have diagnosed or undiagnosed autism, ADHD, dyslexia or some other processing or neurological difference, according to expert estimates. But very few campuses provide faculty with training in how to meet the learning needs of these students in their classrooms. NeuroPrep, an online course for college instructors, fills that gap. We'll hear from the creators of the course and two professors who say even if you think you know, there's plenty to learn about how to serve all students. Best answer: Ask students what they need, be aware of invisible challenges, accommodate everyone in class with extra time, and adjust your teaching style as needed.

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