The spring semester represents a shift from the fall.
For freshmen, students have one semester under their belt. They know how to navigate campus and which libraries have the best study spots. Some freshmen may have found their niche on campus through student orgs or campus life, while others are still finding their footing socially. On some campuses, Greek life recruitment also starts in the spring which means time management challenges and lots of social communication.
For sophomores, coursework is getting harder as students dive into their major. Professors expect more and students are expected to keep up. Students may be preparing for a study abroad experience and need to bump up their GPA to get accepted to certain programs.
For juniors, spring semester is often about securing an internship or job opportunity for the summer. Adding on interviews and company research to a full course load can be difficult.
For seniors, spring semester is about soaking it all in and checking off that campus bucket list – while maintaining good standing academically.
Whether your student thrived or stumbled in the fall, College Semester Support packages can be a great way to ensure that this semester goes smoothly. We’ve listened to our fall clients and made some useful updates for the spring version.
What is the College Semester Support package?
Think of this package as an insurance policy on your tuition. Signing your student up for consistent, weekly check-ins with a coach helps them to stay accountable and on top of their coursework.
It’s much easier to stay ahead of your coursework than to catch up.
This package helps your student do just that. All sessions will be with a member of the Spectrum Transition Coaching team of certified coaches with autism experience. Here’s what’s included:
- A thorough intake questionnaire to get to know your student and their goals
- One 90-minute session at the beginning of the semester for syllabus review and calendar planning
- Twelve 30-minute weekly check-ins help students stay organized, focused, and effective through finals
- Up to 60 additional minutes of coaching time to be scheduled by the student when they need a little extra support or guidance
- One 60-minute coaching session in the summer to review successes and areas for improvement
As a College Semester Support client, you also get:
- Text message support for quick questions in-between sessions
- Parent communication and updates as requested
- Priority access for additional coaching hours or parent consultations as needed
Our work together taught me strategies on how to time manage assignments and readings. Working with Beth helped ease the workload of my classes and removed stress and anxiety from my hefty schedule!
Who is the College Semester Support package designed for?
This package is designed for current autistic college students. It is beneficial for any year of college student from freshmen through senior year – each year has it’s own unique challenges:
- Freshmen students need help balancing coursework with life responsibilities in a new environment away from their support system. Coming back in the spring after a challenging fall semester can be daunting and a coach can help your student find their groove.
- Sophomore students may need help to avoid a sophomore slump and balance more intense courses as they dive into their field of study.
- Juniors often feel additional pressure to line up internships or get involved in leadership positions on campus as graduation looms in the future.
- Seniors are navigating major-specific courses and capstone projects while interviewing for full-time roles and processing the upcoming life transition after graduation.
How are parents involved?
Parents typically encourage the student to get started with coaching and complete the paperwork and payment. From there, our coaches predominantly interact with the student. This is to encourage a sense of autonomy as they build independence as an adult.
If parents have concerns or request specific check-ins or questions, we’re happy to share those with the student.
Conversely, if your student shares anything concerning that we think the parents need to know about, we will share that information in a thoughtful way that protects the student’s privacy.
What if my student misses a session?
We know that college students are busy people! If your student has to cancel or miss a session, we will do our best to accommodate them later in that week. If we can’t find a time that week, then they would miss out on that week’s session. We don’t reschedule sessions beyond the 12 weeks of the semester.
Can I wait to see how the semester is going before signing up?
In order to get the best results, it is key to start coaching during the first week of the semester. This is when professors share their syllabi and we can work out a detailed plan to make sure that your student is set up for success.
If even a few weeks go by, your student is playing catch up which is often very hard to overcome.
Can’t my student get this from disability services on campus?
Possibly, but these offices are often understaffed so your student may have to wait to find the right person or service. This coaching package offers individualized and consistent coaching that can serve as a complement to disability services on campus and other accommodations for autistic college students.
What if I want to chat more to see if this is right for my family?
We’d love to learn more about your family’s situation. Send us a note here or schedule a quick call.
How do I sign up?
The best way to get started is to set up a quick call here to get started. We’ll have a quick 15-minute chat to learn more about your college student and walk through the next steps to reserve your spot for the College Semester Support package.