Successful Autistic College Students: What is the Secret?

Many autistic people are twice exceptional learners (2eASD).  This means they have an area of unique talent or intellectual strength along with an identifiable disability.

The rates of high school failure are elevated for this population, but some are able to not only attend, but to succeed at highly competitive colleges and universities.  

What is the secret to their success?  It probably won't come as a surprise that a lot of it depends on nurturing the special interest or interests that a large majority of 2eASD individuals have.  

Supports that are provided when the concentration is on an interest area help both the student and the adults in their life to be working in a more positive environment where the student is intrinsically motivated.

This extends to non-preferred classes and activities as the student knows the less interesting academic areas are needed to help meet their goal, college success.

Here is a link to the article used for this episode:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12189878/

And here is other information sources on the topic:

Strength Based Teaching

https://www.autismcrc.com.au/knowledge-centre/publications/we-think-differently-we-learn-differently-end-day-were-not-different

Can Autistic Students Thrive in Mainstream Classrooms?

https://linksaba.com/can-autistic-students-thrive-in-mainstream-classrooms/

It's Like You are in a Golden Cage

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891422222002499

Summary

This podcast episode presents findings from a research article on strength-based teaching and support strategies for twice-exceptional high school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The host reads excerpts detailing the academic strategies, social and emotional challenges, and supportive factors that enable these students to succeed in competitive colleges.

Key takeaway

Research Focus and Methodology

A research team conducted several studies over the last five years to understand how some neurodiverse students achieve academic success in secondary school and competitive colleges, with particular emphasis on strength-based practices, enrichment, and pedagogy.

The host introduces the article "Research Based, Strength Based Teaching, and Support Strategies for Twice Exceptional High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder," which focuses on two 2E ASD (twice exceptional with autism spectrum disorder) students.

Academic Strategies for Success

Interest-based opportunities and participation in enrichment activities such as advanced/honors courses, camps, and extracurriculars were identified as key academic strategies contributing to success.

The host notes that the participants' academic strategies included interest-based opportunities and enrichment activities like advanced courses and extracurriculars.

Social and Emotional Challenges

Participants faced significant challenges with emotional regulation, sensory sensitivities, social struggles, lack of peer interactions, and difficulty with social skills like making jokes or participating in conversations.

The host reads that many participants had few friends in elementary/middle school, were uncomfortable in social situations, and sometimes were grouped with students with emotional/behavioral difficulties, leading to imitation of negative behaviors and lack of positive peer models without ASD.

Role of Parents, Teachers, and Peer Relationships

Parents and teachers helped participants gradually develop healthy social and emotional habits by providing safe spaces, discussing missed social cues, using role modeling, and encouraging participation in interest-aligned activities to reduce isolation.

The host explains that teachers and counselors worked to build peer relationships with shared interests, helped minimize feelings of isolation through honors classes, clubs, and sports, and that participants learned from both negative mistakes and positive experiences to manage social battery and avoid overwhelm.

Anxiety and Motivation Factors

A high prevalence of anxiety was found among participants, contributing to risks of dropping out of college or quitting activities, but many were motivated by a driving passion for learning and the independence college offers.

The host states that anxiety was a common challenge, yet half the participants were motivated by the independence, flexibility, and personal autonomy of college life, while still needing some family support.

Development of Emotional Safety and Autonomy

Most participants were able to develop an emotionally safe community in and out of the classroom, which was crucial for their social and academic development in both high school and college.

The host summarizes that participants learned when to recharge alone and when to pursue social interactions, avoiding autistic overwhelm, and ultimately built a supportive community.

Thanks to  Soundimage.org for the free access to the AI generated music used in this podcast (https://soundimage.org/) 

Transcript

Many students with autism are able to successfully compete and succeed at competitive colleges and universities.  How does this happen?  What are the factors or strengths that allow an autistic student to do this?

I’ll be reading excerpts from a research article that focused on 2eASD (twice exceptional with autism spectrum disorder) college students. 

The name is a bit of a mouthful, it’s, “Research-Based, Strength-Based Teaching and Support Strategies for Twice-Exceptional High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder”. 

Here are the excerpts:

In the last five years, a research team conducted several studies to investigate the ways in which some neurodiverse students have emerged as academically successful in both secondary school and highly competitive colleges and universities. 

Of particular importance was the identification of strength-based practices, enrichment practices and strength-based pedagogy.

This is a clarifying note from me.  The successes and challenges that are described in the next section occurred to varying degrees throughout these student’s school careers, continuing into college in many cases.  Now back to the article

Academic strategies that contributed to success included interest-based opportunities as well as participation in enrichment (activities) such as advanced and honors courses, camps and extra-curricular activities. 

However, the participants, according to their parents, also experienced challenges with emotional regulation and difficulties dealing with high levels of sensory sensitivities, social struggles and an absence of peer interactions. 

Participants reported not knowing how to make a joke, not being able to respond quickly to social situations, or not being able to participate in conversations.  Many explained that they had few friends in elementary school and middle school and were initially uncomfortable in most, if not all, social situations and settings. 

Some participants explained that (in their elementary and middle school years), they had been grouped with other students (also) identified as needing special education who had experienced emotional and behavioral difficulties, often severe.  

When this occurred, the students identified often imitated inappropriate behaviors and struggled with negative peer influences, especially with not having models of other academically talented students without ASD, and accordingly, generally without behavioral challenges. 

On the positive side, these highly academically successful students also discussed how their parents and teachers helped them gradually learn to develop healthy social and emotional habits of mind. 

For example, teachers and counselors often provided safe spaces for them in school and discussed how to handle missed social cues and overcome associated problems with other social situations.  Some used role modeling.   

The studies found a high prevalence of anxiety in all participants, contributing to challenges to their academic and personal success. These challenges usually focused on the likelihood of dropping out of college, quitting an extra-curricular activity or honors or advanced class.

Another critical factor influencing the success of the students in school was their relationships with peers. For these students, relationships are extremely important and can enhance or, in some cases, negatively affect their school experience.

The teachers and counselors discussed the importance of working to build peer relationships…with students who share their interests and talents. 

They also worked diligently to help the participants minimize their feelings of isolation by encouraging them to participate in honors classes, clubs, sports, and other extra-curricular activities in areas of high interest.   

When they were able to build relationships and participate in activities that address their social anxiety, they were able to understand the importance of these relationships over time.

The participants learned from previous negative mistakes as well as positive experiences, and eventually, most learned to understand when it was time to be alone and recharge their social batteries, as well as when they needed to pursue social interactions, avoiding what is sometimes referred to as autistic overwhelm. 

Most participants described a driving passion for learning. Half of the participants were motivated to succeed academically by the independence college offers, as well as the flexibility to take advantage of a range of opportunities, and the development of their personal autonomy. Many craved the independence of college and university life but also needed some support from their families. 

In summary, most of the participants in the study were able to develop an emotionally safe community, in and out of the classroom, that was important for their social and academic development both in high school and college.