Navigating College Life with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Guide to UCF Post Orientation and Beyond

Embarking on the college journey is a significant milestone, filled with excitement and new experiences. For students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this transition can present unique challenges and opportunities. This guide provides comprehensive information about navigating college life with ASD, focusing on UCF post-orientation resources and strategies for success.

Understanding the Transition to College

The transition to college represents a fresh start, offering new instructors, peers, and support staff. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that ASD doesn't simply disappear upon entering college. Students with ASD often require support with executive functions, tasks, and social-emotional relationships, areas that traditional academic accommodations may not fully address.

The Importance of Self-Advocacy

The ability to self-advocate is critical for postsecondary success. Students who actively engage with disability services during the transition to college tend to achieve better academic performance compared to those who seek support later.

Recognizing Sensory Sensitivities

Students with ASD may process sensory information differently, potentially leading to feeling overwhelmed in the classroom and college living environment. This can involve external senses like vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, as well as internal senses like balance and muscular feedback.

Disclosure: A Personal Choice

Deciding whether to disclose your ASD is a personal one. There is no obligation to disclose, and the decision rests entirely with the student. Unless you choose to disclose your disability, nobody will be informed. Many students choose to disclose their ASD to some people at college, such as roommates, advisors, and instructors, but not to others.

Read also: Launching Your Career

Addressing the Stigma

Hiding one's distinctive personality, skills, or challenges can inadvertently perpetuate stigma. Similarly, pretending not to see or acknowledge these differences also contributes to the problem. Openness and honesty can help break down misconceptions and foster understanding.

Dispelling Misconceptions

Invisible disabilities can manifest through communication differences, unexpected behaviors, and social awkwardness. When these occur, others may form their own potentially inaccurate assumptions. They may erroneously believe you have a mental illness, or in some cases, that you are rude or aloof.

Understanding Your Rights

It's important to remember that disclosing your ASD is your choice. Nobody is going to know you have Autism unless you choose to disclose.

Strategic Disclosure: When and How

There are several points where you might want to disclose. Consider the following:

Application/Essay/Campus Tour: Most students prefer not to disclose in their application or essay as part of their application, or during a tour of campus, as it should not provide any advantage to you. There is no guarantee that anything disclosed prior to enrolling in the college will be shared further than the person you disclosed to-such information is typically not shared across college units unless you specifically ask for it to be, and sign a release form allowing it.
Disability Resource Office/Accessibility Services: You may disclose to the office at your college that supports people with disabilities when you begin attending (in person or virtually) or at any time after that. This office may be called the Disability Resource Office, or Disability Services, or Accessibility Services-it is different at every college, but every college has an office like this. This is where you would provide information about your disability, and academic accommodations that you have used in high school and find helpful, and other information about your courses. If you do this, the department will notify your instructors about your accommodations, such as extra time on exams, or quiet testing location, or preferential seating, or if a service animal will attend. They will NOT explain what your diagnosis is or reveal you have ASD. It is up to you to share this information with your instructors if you wish. There is no disadvantage to disclosing to and registering with this office-they will not notify anyone you don’t specifically ask to be notified about your accommodations, and they may offer other helpful services, such as tutoring or classes on organizing, or peer mentoring.
Housing: You may disclose to housing in your housing application if you will be staying on campus or in college affiliated housing. This may be important for locating a roommate situation that matches your sensory and sleep needs. You should be specific about what would be helpful in a room or roommate situation with the housing staff. The staff may ask if you wish to disclose to your roommates-they cannot do that for you.
Academic Advisor: Your Advisor may be able to help you choose courses and instructors that are the best match for your particular profile of ASD if you disclose. They may know when the most understanding instructor will teach a course you must take, and advise a different sequence that will be a lifesaver for you.
Student Health/Counseling/Campus Security: You may disclose to the student health center or counseling center, or to the campus security force if you choose. If you tend to have self-soothing behavior that may seem unusual or cause concern for others who may report you to campus security as a suspicious person, it may be helpful for you to be familiar to the security personnel so they know how to support you in a crisis situation.
Instructors: You may disclose the specifics of your ASD with instructors. Many college classes are large and professors don’t always have the time to get to know individual students. Taking the initiative to talk with professors helps them put a face to the name. It also shows that they’re taking an active role in their education. Telling your instructor about your ASD and how it impacts you, such as difficulty with eye contact, or a tendency to rock or fidget, as well as things that help that are outside of academic ADA accommodations, such as wearing noise-cancelling headphones, taking a photo of an equation may open up opportunities for you to feel better in class while also improving your ability to demonstrate your knowledge.
Classmates/Peers: You may disclose to classmates, club members and peers. Disclosing to peers can be a great way to build a supportive community at college. College is different from high school, and equity, diversity and inclusion is more widely embraced. Disclosing can help you connect with other students who also have learning and thinking differences. That may be a confidence-booster. Friends can also offer support.

UCF Post Orientation: A Gateway to Success

UCF Downtown and the City of Orlando have so much to offer. Our campus is an opportunity for you to dream big and learn in an urban environment that matches your major. Being in the heart of Orlando means there is always something to do within walking distance of campus! Downtown Orlando is your campus.

Accessing Resources

Several resources are available to support students with ASD at UCF:

Parking: Parking is located in the Parramore Garage on the 4th floor (323 N Parramore Ave, Orlando, FL 32801). Please print the pass provided and place in your dashboard BEFORE entering the garage.
Check-in: Check-in will be in the West Wing lobby of Dr. Phillips Academic Commons.

Building a Supportive Community

College is different from high school, and equity, diversity and inclusion is more widely embraced. Disclosing can help you connect with other students who also have learning and thinking differences. That may be a confidence-booster. Friends can also offer support.

Read also: Engaging Experience at LIU Post

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