Last week, I attended the Independent Education Consultant Association (IECA) annual conference in Baltimore. Despite the financial woes at many colleges and the poor employment prospects for college grads, the conference was uplifting. We heard several inspirational presentations about how consultants should help students find paths that work for them, rather than trying to appease parents or conform to community expectations.
As part of my work with McKenna Autism Consulting, I help neurodivergent families and students find the right path after high school. In many cases, my students must travel along paths that sharply diverge from those of their peers. They may need to attend a community college for a year. Others may look to other paths entirely. Missing out on college can be a tough pill to swallow, both for the student and the parents.
But college isn’t right for every student. Some students aren’t adequately prepared for college, despite good grades on their report card. Other students managed the demands of high school only with the benefits of a rigorous IEP, school support staff, and kind parents. When the scaffolding is gone, will they be able to manage the rigors of college?
After I finish reviewing reports with parents and completing the school readiness questionnaire, I sometimes say that I don’t think that their child is ready for college yet. “Yet” is an important part of that sentence, because many students need a few more years to cook before they are ready for college. So, then we talk about next steps and various strategies to increase college-readiness skills.
The IECA conference was a great opportunity for me to chat with staff from some of my favorite alternative programs. I also met many new folks. I came home with a suitcase full of business cards and pamphlets.
Here are a sample of alternative programs for neurodivergent students:
I wish that families were more prepared for the prospects of alternative paths. College isn’t right for everyone, and that’s okay. I wish that parents and students began realistically planning for those alternatives at the beginning of high school, rather than in the last semester of high school (yes, that happens). I wish high schools were more supportive of students who aren’t on the college path.
If you would like to discuss alternative paths for your student, please reach out. You can sign up for a free, 30-minute consultation here. Check out our college consulting packages.
This post was part of the newsletter for May 26, 2026. Read the whole thing here.
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