College Planning for Individuals with Autism: Interview with Brenda Eaton
Free Workshop
Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums
in Young Children with
Autism &/or Speech Delays
Are you looking for direction in what the future holds for your child? What does college look like for an individual with autism or other developmental delays? Brenda Eaton, BCBA and Certified College Coach, joined me to discuss autism and college and the ins and outs of preparing for and beginning college.
Transitioning from high school to college is a scary and difficult process for more than those that are on the autism spectrum. Brenda shares the staggering statistic that more than 30% of students do not make it past the first semester of their first year of college. This means that it is incredibly important to know if college is right for your child and what programs and resources are available to help them. Every college is mandated to have an Office of Disability Services and this is a department that can help your child with autism get the services they need and understand what they have access to.
Brenda is a Certified College Coach which is a way to keep your child accountable and also a point of contact to be an advocate for the student. Many parents will try to act as that coach, but Brenda details that a specific relationship designated for their success in college will more often motivate the student to hold themselves to a higher standard. College coaches vary in the respect to how they help the student but they can help access services such as extended time on tests as well as create routine check-ins to assess due dates and tasks.
An important factor Brenda and I discuss is IQ. IQ is not the most important thing when deciding if college is right for your child. There are also life skills and executive functioning skills that come into play. Students who go away to a four-year school are being removed from their home with their very familiar routines to a new place where they are responsible for feeding, cleaning, and taking care of themselves. This can sometimes be a challenge more than the basic intelligence of the child.
Four-year college is not the only post high school destination for students. There are community colleges, vocational-technical programs, and even the workforce. It’s really important to decide with your child what their goals and needs are and determine the right path for them. Specific funding and programs vary state to state and country to country. We discuss a little about what is locally available but it’s important to research the funding and programs available unique to your situation!
Brenda is a wealth of knowledge when tackling those future goals for your children. Hopefully, this gave you some insight on where to look and what to talk about with your child as you move forward in their education and goals.
Today’s Guest
Brenda Eaton, brendaeaton.life, has a Master’s Degree in Education from Temple University and is a BCBA. She is also a Positive Psychology Practitioner. She has worked in public education for 17 years as a Special Education Consultant for autism and related disorders with training in Cognitive Behavior Training CBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT). Brenda also developed the CATCH Team, a cross system diagnostic program with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for early screening and diagnosis for high-risk toddlers in Early Intervention.
She has been an Adjunct Professor for Drexel’s Autism Certificate as well as West Chester University’s Special Education Department Course called, “Family Systems”. Brenda has written a chapter on Early Intervention for the textbook used in the West Chester University course entitled, “Parents and Families of Student with Special Needs”(2016). Visit brendaeaton.life/ready for college ready tips!
You’ll Learn
- Shocking statistics that apply to ALL college students.
- What is a College Coach and how can they help?
- What programs and funding are available for individuals with autism?
- What skills do individuals with autism need to attend college?
Resources
- TurnAutismAround.com
- Turn Autism Around Book
- Early Detection and Treatment of Autism Signs in Toddlers – Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents
- Home-Based ABA for Autism | Interview with Amy M. – Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents
- Autism and IQ Scores | Supporting Children with Intellectual Disabilities – Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents
- brendaeaton.life
Free Workshop
Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums
in Young Children with
Autism &/or Speech Delays
