OnlineCollegePlan.com Shows Solidarity with Autistic Students in Latest Ranking

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Aug 30, 2017, 08:30 ET

STORRS, Conn., Aug. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Autism Spectrum Disorder is actually the umbrella term for a relatively wide array of developmental disorders with varying skills, symptoms, and limitations. The most recent statistic reports that 1 in 68 children are, as they say, on the spectrum. Some people are more severely hindered by their disorder, but a great many of them are able to live their lives fairly independently. Autism, or ASD, causes social impairment (like a lack of communication, or inability to understand social cues), repetitive behaviors, limited interests, and a few other things that get in the way of the person's independence later in life. Recognizing these limitations and building these skills throughout the individual's life is key to making sure they can reach their fullest potential.

Many schools at the primary and secondary levels have created programs that implement increased support and mentorship for students with ASD, but a serious problem that has been cropping up in more recent years as autism is being more efficiently diagnosed is how we can support students with ASD beyond the scope of these programs. In OnlineCollegePlan's latest article, it reiterates the fact that by the time these students reach college, most of them have aged out of these support programs. Many colleges now offer programs that implement the same brand of support as these programs for younger students; it is vital as these students are coming up on their first real experience with living independently. OnlineCollegePlan has ranked schools with these such programs with a concrete methodology and attentiveness to language throughout the article. You can read The Top 20 Schools with Programs for Autistic Students here:

http://www.onlinecollegeplan.com/best-online-colleges-autism/

Each of the schools ranked in the article was scored by the researcher, Brandon Carter, out of a possible 200 points. States across the country are represented in the ones who made the cut, but several of the states are represented by more than one of their schools. While the schools are scored and ranked accordingly, every one of these programs is a vital component to the success of their students with ASD.

Avery A., a young man with Asperger's Syndrome that is entering Kent State (#10) in the fall, said, "I'm very grateful for College Success for Students with Asperger's or Autism. I'm considered more high functioning, and the fact that that doesn't limit me from being in the program took a huge weight off my shoulders!" He went on to say that, "The self-advocacy training is what I'm looking forward to the most; expressing my needs has never been a strong point." It's abundantly clear how important these programs are to prospective students, and to have access to an article like this will only help them in their search for the perfect school.

Previously recognized as being among the Top 50 Disability Friendly Schools by College Choice, the University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT) took number one on the list with a final score of 174/200 - edging out #2 by just 2 points! UConn partners with the AHEADD program, as well as providing their own variety of programs for students of all levels of functionality that include social, academic, and vocational support. You can check out the full list of schools below:

20. University of Montana (Missoula, MT)
19. Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI)
18. Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY)
17. Marshall University (Huntington, WV)
16. University of West Florida (Pensacola, FL)
15. Nova Southeastern University (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
14. Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL)
13. Fairleigh Dickinson University (Madison, NJ)
12. Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI)
11. University of Idaho (Moscow, ID)
10. Kent State University (Kent, OH)
9. Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)
8. Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI)
7. Adelphi University (Garden City, NY)
6. University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
5. University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
4. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
3. St. Joseph's University (Philadelphia, PA)
2. Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
1. University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)