College counseling for neurodivergent students
A clear plan, a steady relationship, and room to be yourself.
I’m Andrew Snyder, Ed.D. I help neurodivergent students—including autistic students and students with ADHD or AuDHD—approach the college search and application process with clarity, confidence, and a sense of possibility. I work with families in Greater Boston and virtually nationwide.
We begin with the student: their interests, strengths, frustrations, and hopes for college. Together, we build a plan that respects how they work and a college list that considers where they can thrive.
Start with the whole person
A transcript tells part of a student’s story. It does not tell us everything about their curiosity, creativity, effort, or the conditions in which they do their best work. Strong abilities and real difficulties can exist together.
In my writing on LinkedIn, I return to the importance of clear structure, early feedback, and adults who stay steady when a student struggles. In college counseling, that means getting to know the person behind the application and making the next step understandable.
Make the process manageable
A long list of deadlines can make it hard to know where to begin. We turn the application process into smaller actions, with a clear sequence and room to adjust when something is not working.
Build a calendar that makes priorities and upcoming decisions visible.
Break college research, applications, and essays into manageable steps.
Use conversations and feedback to help students express their own ideas.
Clarify expectations with students and parents so everyone understands the plan.
Notice progress in ownership and follow-through, alongside application milestones.
As I wrote in a reflection on student support, “Consistency is compassion.” Predictable communication and follow-through are part of the work.
Look closely at college fit
The college search should consider the daily experience of being a student there. Academic interests and admissions possibilities matter, alongside campus culture, affordability, available support, and a sense of belonging.
Useful questions for our research and campus conversations include:
How are classes structured, and how accessible are faculty and advisers?
What learning, organizational, and accessibility supports can students explore?
What does asking for help look like in practice?
How might the pace, size, housing, and social environment fit this student?
Does the student see opportunities for friendship, interests, and an affirming community?
We use these questions to compare individual colleges. A label or reputation alone cannot tell us whether a particular environment will be a good fit.
Keep the student’s voice at the center
Students deserve to be partners in decisions about their future. My role is to bring experience, structure, and perspective while helping each student communicate what matters to them. Essay guidance keeps the ideas and writing their own.
I also support LGBTQ+ students seeking an identity-affirming college experience. Our conversations make room for the different parts of a student’s identity and what they want from college life.
More about my approach
These reflections from my LinkedIn writing explain the thinking behind this work:
Let’s talk about your student
Our first meeting is a no-cost, no-obligation conversation about your student and what your family needs. I offer an introductory home visit for families in the Boston area and virtual counseling nationwide.
Email Andy to arrange an introductory conversation.
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