With the right help in school and at home, most autistic students should be thriving in mainstream classrooms by the time they get to high school. A few may even be in the top tier of their student body with straight As in AP classes and top flight SAT scores. Their schools may have decided that they no longer need an IEP. 

So, do academically-gifted autistic students need any special preparation for college? Or can we send them off just like our typical kids with a wave and a tear and our credit card? 

While high-flying autistic kids may be great at taking tests, other lingering autistic issues could take a toll in college or after graduation. The most common issues that cause problems for smart autistic young adults are anxiety, social-emotional immaturity, and poor executive function skills. 

A few high schools will help their autistic students with those three issues, but it is hardly commonplace, so parents need to explore different ways to offer support. I have suggestions! 

Read more at The Great Leap, my autism newsletter