Title: College experience of academically successful students with autism
Abstract: The number of individuals with autism attending college has grown with the increase of autism diagnosis.College students with autism graduate at a lower rate than their typically developed peers.Few studies have examined the phenomenon of college students with autism; instead the focus has been on projecting college performance based on high school challenges.This study explores the lived experiences of successful college students with autism.The participants, who had all completed a Bachelor's degree, described their college years and the lessons they learned.The superordinate themes were becoming self-aware, love of college, and exploring alternate means to socialize.