IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME to disclose your autism, this is it. The current adoption of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on college campuses should, by definition, embrace neurodiversity as well. If you’re reading this, then you – or someone close to you – are considering disclosing.
Most college applications require an essay for one or more of the following reasons: 1) to assess your writing skills; 2) to assess your creativity or depth of knowledge; and 3) to learn something important about you . It takes courage to share your autism diagnosis with admissions officials, so if you elect to do so, why not point out what you see as your own “autism assets?” Perhaps your attention to detail will make you an outstanding member of a science lab, or your drawing expertise will be helpful on a student publication?
Once at college you find that, so far, only the disability support services personnel know about your autism. All of your professors will receive notices that you “require accommodations” for whatever your special needs are: note-taking, test-taking, seating in class, small group assignments, time on tests. The professor signs the form and otherwise pays you no-mind.
If all is going well for you, this might be enough.
On the other hand, IF, in a different class, the professor is hostile to you when you raise your hand repeatedly, or seems indifferent to you during office hours, or ignores your requests to have the fluorescent lighting fixed so that it stops blinking incessantly. In this case, I would argue that the professor would benefit from the knowledge that you have autism. Here again, it takes courage to disclose your disability, and it is a very personal decision that only you can make. You ask yourself: To disclose, or not to disclose? Do I expect something to improve if I do?
To help you in making the disclosure decision, here are some potential costs and benefits of disclosure.
Let’s start with the costs:
