Intentionally planning for college
Supporting your autistic and/or gestalt language processors on their path to college
It’s graduation week at my school. For the students on my case load, it’s time to start getting serious about planning for college / careers. Most of them are in the 9th grade. I have a few in the 10th grade. Given the complexity of the path to college / career and beyond, I try to help them intentionally plan their paths forward, getting as early a start as possible.
Given that they will likely not know what they don’t know about the process, and will likely not have the gestalts (scripts) to even begin asking the right questions, I’ve prepared a series of questions for them to answer. It’s a detailed scaffold that asks them to do research and write an academic plan. It also confronts some uncomfortable realities. If you’re a paid subscriber, read on. If not, I encourage you to do so.
Here's a simple yet powerful outline to help you get your GLPs started in preparing their college plan:
1. Executive Summary: Summarize your goals and priorities in choosing a college, such as your desired field of study, location preferences, and career aspirations.
2. Self-Assessment: Evaluate your strengths, interests, and academic abilities as well as your weaknesses and how your neurotype and intersecting identities will be impacted by the educational experience. Identify your long-term career goals and the skills you want to develop through your college education.
3. Market Analysis: Research and compare different colleges and universities. Consider factors such as their academic programs, reputation, location, campus facilities, cost, inflation, financial aid opportunities, disability support services, and student life. Consider that in late-stage capitalism, oligarchies consolidate industries and job losses occur. Explain how your choices will help insulate you from inevitable shifts in the market.
4. SWOT Analysis: Perform a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for each college under consideration. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of each institution and assess how well they align with your goals. Remember, if you are entering into this process without a specific diagnosis of a condition that will qualify you for disability supports, you are not going to receive support. How will you address this? Consider also what people with a similar profile as you have to say about the school, the school’s climate, and the school’s culture.
5. Financial Analysis: Analyze the cost of tuition, fees, and independent living expenses (and how much they will increase over the course of your studies) for each college. Consider the availability of scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Evaluate the potential return on investment in terms of future earning potential and career prospects. If you’re considering student loans, explain how your career choices will enable you to pay off the loans according to the lending terms. If you are considering living out of state and/or outside of your family’s insurance network (or if your family currently receives it’s medical care services from a state-run programme), explain how you will cover your health care costs outside of your family’s network.
6. Decision Criteria: Develop a set of criteria that are important to you in choosing a college. This could include factors like academic reputation, faculty qualifications, internship opportunities, alumni network, campus climate and culture, disability support, and extracurricular activities. Assign weights to each criterion based on their relative importance.
7. Evaluation and Comparison: Rate and rank each college based on your decision criteria. Create a scoring system or matrix to objectively compare the different options.
8. Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks or challenges associated with each college choice. Consider factors such as distance from home, cultural fit, academic rigor, or job placement rates. Also address the risk that your chosen profession may disappear either during your time in college or after, but before you’ve had an opportunity to return your investment or pay off any loans. Consider also the sensory environment of the college. Will you have an environment there that supports self-regulation?
9. Implementation Plan: Develop a timeline and action plan for the application process, including researching deadlines, gathering required documents, accounting for your health care needs, and completing applications. Outline the steps you need to take to ensure a smooth transition to college once you've made your decision.
10. Reflection and Adjustment: Regularly review and revise your plan as you gather more information and gain new insights.
Remember, choosing a college is a significant decision involving the allocation of both time and money, and it's important to consider your individual needs, preferences, and aspirations. This plan is meant to guide you / your loved ones through a structured approach to decision-making.