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Students with autism are heading off to college in record numbers. In fact, based on statistics from the National Center for Special Education Research, more than 200,000 students on the autism spectrum will arrive on campuses over the next decade. Unfortunately, a majority of students with disabilities who start college, including those with ASD, won’t successfully graduate. While there is not one clear cause or one simple answer, it’s important to consider the role resiliency plays in success.
Fixed vs Growth Mindset
A Rice University study found clear evidence that college students are more likely graduate when they have a belief that their intelligence can improve over time, also known as having a Growth Mindset. When students lack a growth mindset, they see intelligence as a fixed trait and may be tempted to:
put in minimal effort when maximum effort is needed;
hide mistakes rather than address them;
avoid seeking help due to fear of being seen as not smart enough;
become overwhelmed when setbacks occur.
Encourage a growth mindset by praising efforts instead of intelligence or results
Carol Dweck
The Four R’s: Facing Adversity
Recognize
Admitting a failure can be difficult and students are sometimes tempted to hide their head in the sand when things start to fall apart. I’ve worked with students who avoid talking about the things that are not going well and by the time they feel ready to face a failure, it’s too late to turn things around. When things don’t go as expected, it’s important to recognize the setback and keep talking positively, even about making mistakes.
Successful students expect to face new challenges, arrive at college prepared to work hard and struggle some, and recognize that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process.
Reach Out
Colleges often have lots of resources to offer but students need to be willing to utilize them. Students who are facing academic challenges should be encouraged to visit their professors’ office hours and seek out tutoring supports for challenging courses. Not sure what resources are available or the process for utilizing them? Academic advisors and disability services staff will be familiar with all the resources the campus offers and can refer and direct students.
Successful students ask for feedback, aren’t too proud to seek out support for academic and personal challenges, and are prepared to take advantage of campus resources.
Reflect
Reflection provides us the time to think through our experiences and find ways to turn mistakes into lessons. Life is full of setbacks so students have plenty of opportunity to practice active reflection before they go off to college. Students need to be able to ask themselves: What went wrong? What could I do better next time? What can I learn from this?
Successful students accept responsibility for their mistakes, understand that personal growth is as important as academic learning, and see setbacks as an opportunity to grow and improve.
Rally
Students need to avoid getting down on themselves for their mistakes and instead spend their time and energy thinking about how to do better in the future. Students sometimes need supportive permission and encouragement to “press the restart button”. They can be encouraged to work with college support staff, perhaps a faculty member, academic advisor, or counselor, to make a plan that will help them avoid making the same mistake twice.
Successful students leave mistakes behind and don’t get stuck in the past, but instead plan for what they can do next to move ahead successfully.