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Two years ago, peering down into the U.S. Capitol viewing gallery as members of Congress debated bills, Jonathan Kratchman, a high school student from Cherry Hill, N.J., decided he wanted to get a law degree. He wanted to go into politics.

For a young man who didn鈥檛 speak until age 3, Jonathan, now 18 and a senior, says deciding to go to college has helped him find his voice.

鈥淚t was a long shot. At my school, most students go to community college, if they go,鈥� said Jonathan, who has autism. 鈥淭hey thought my mom and I had already decided I would stay in the system until I was 21.鈥�

In fact, transition concerns led him to Washington in the first place as a sophomore. Jonathan attended a youth forum for students as part of a briefing by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., an autism-awareness advocate, on the problem of students 鈥渁ging out鈥� of services at age 21 under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Jonathan recalled talking to lawmakers鈥� staffs about the challenges for students with autism in transitioning to higher education. He has a solid transcript鈥攁 3.8 GPA at the Newgrange School, an out-of-district placement school in Hamilton, N.J., and plays guitar and bass for a band at the local chapter of the School of Rock鈥攂ut had difficulty making the case to his parents and school for 鈥渢he whole college experience,鈥� living away from home, and taking challenging academic courses.

For example, when he was transferred midyear to Newgrange, he was automatically put into a remedial-reading program. He felt a disconnect, but wasn鈥檛 sure how to address it at his individualized education program, or IEP, meetings until the following year, when his reading teacher took him aside to say he didn鈥檛 belong in the class. Even then, Jonathan said he had to present evidence of his work to the IEP team to move to a different class.

Jonathan said his teachers and IEP team were surprised when he applied and was accepted to Rutgers University鈥榮 support program for students on the autism spectrum.

鈥淚 was going to take advantage of IDEA and continue until I turned 21, but honestly, I thought being able to go on to college鈥攅ven community college鈥攚as a long shot if I stayed under IDEA [until 21], so I decided to give up my rights effective when I graduate鈥� later this June, he said.

Rutgers, in New Brunswick, N.J., will allow Jonathan to continue using a few of the accommodations he has in high school, but he said the most difficult support to find is the one he needs most: social supports to navigate the new world of college. Jonathan found 26 schools nationwide with formal social supports for students with autism, including Rutgers, which provides a peer mentor, sponsors social events, and connects students to peer tutoring.

Added Expenses

The supports will be a relief in one sense, and a stress in another. 鈥淭hey can only have 17 kids, and it鈥檚 an extra $7,000 a year on top of the already-staggering tuition,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 applying for scholarships, but there are so many other people applying for [them] I don鈥檛 think I鈥檒l get anything.鈥�

That leaves student loans, Jonathan said. While he may work part time during the summer, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 work at the same time [as class] because it鈥檚 a bit too much for me.鈥�

The cost and intensity of the program will make it both easier and more critical for Jonathan to get a competitive job after graduation, and he has already started building career experience. Last summer, Jonathan interned in Rep. Smith鈥檚 New Jersey office, answering the phone and handling electronic filing.

鈥淭he thing I like the most is also the thing I like the least, answering the phones,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou never know what you are going to get. You could get someone really nice and easy, and then you could get someone who is really giving me a hard time.鈥�

Now, Jonathan attends classes part time and takes community college courses in criminal justice at home for dual credit. He said his school transition counselor has helped him learn to speak up for things he needs.

Yet he also wishes teachers had encouraged him and planned with him for college earlier.

鈥淭he schools should be more supportive in the process鈥� of students with disabilities going on to college, Jonathan said. 鈥淚 did it at the very last minute, applied at the last minute, took my ACT/SATs at the last minute,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure how I鈥檇 be able to do in college, and we had no clue about some of these support programs.鈥�