{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Refrigerator Moms","title":"Ready or Not: How to Prepare Autistic Students for College","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/5a2efe8f\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2100,"description":"Getting into college is not the same as being ready for it, and for autistic students, that gap can lead to a painful call home. Dr. Marci Schwartz, founder of Thrive College Counseling, joins Julianna and Kelley to unpack what real college readiness looks like: executive functioning, independent living, advocacy, and social connection, all built on a foundation of self-awareness. They talk through how parents can tell if a student is truly ready versus just capable, how to talk about fit instead of prestige, and what to do when a student needs to come home and start again.\nKey Takeaways:\nCollege acceptance does not equal college readiness, self-awareness is the real foundation\nFour core skills to build before college: executive functioning, independent living, advocacy, and social connection\nAsking for help in a timely way is itself a college readiness skill, not just a social nicety\nNearly 1 in 4 autistic college students drop out, prestige is not protection against that\nFit matters more than rank: small classes and known professors can outweigh brand-name schools\nStudents should demonstrate independence in high school, not just promise they'll do it later\nIEPs and 504s don't carry over to college, the student must self-identify and request accommodations\nComprehensive support programs, executive functioning coaches, and gap-year skill building are real options when a student isn't ready\nMental health self-identification is its own readiness skill, and often the hardest one to build\nNeurodiversity-informed career services matter as much as academic accommodations, because the real goal is career, not just college\nResources Mentioned in This Episode\nThrive College Counseling — College counseling service specializing in neurodivergent teens, founded by episode guest Dr. Marci Schwartz https://www.thrivecollegecounseling.com\n🔗 Learn More:\nWebsite: refrigeratormoms.com\nInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/\nLinkedIn:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/HulBGQUSL2z8d_6F6RH17faDl04BfOUOawVExctAmvs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83OWUz/Yjk2Nzk5MWE4NTRh/Y2FkMDcxZGU0MmU4/NDkwNS5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}