7 strategies to help gifted autistic students succeed in college

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Joseph Madaus, University of Connecticut; Nicholas Gelbar, University of Connecticut, and Sally Reis, University of Connecticut

(THE CONVERSATION) About 1 out of every 100 students in American public schools has autism. A subset of these students also have academic gifts and talents in a broad range of areas, including math, science, technology, the humanities and the arts. These students are often referred to as “twice exceptional.”

To learn more about this population, we conducted research with three groups: twice-exceptional autistic college students, their parents and college staff who work with them. The students were all enrolled in or recent graduates of competitive and very competitive colleges, including Ivy League institutions. We identified several strategies that can help these students transition to and succeed in college.

1. Identify both autism and giftedness

Identifying twice-exceptional students can be difficult because their gifts may mask their disabilities. Conversely, their disabilities may mask...