After graduating from college, you are filled with a mix of emotions, one of which is happiness. You have now completed your education, and many are thrilled they never have to deal with tests, homework, stressful study nights, and so much more ever again, but there is also a juxtaposing thought of, what now? After high school you at least know one thing, you are now college-bound, but after that, we are faced with the real world. Life is no longer familiar. We start out from a young age going to school. It is what we are used to, but after college, we are supposed to start our jobs. Thankfully, going to college should equip us with the knowledge needed to succeed in whatever field you had decided on, but actually going out and working towards getting that job or career can be much harder than we expect.

No one expects you to jump right into a job after college, since finding one that is right for you may take time, but it is our responsibility to ensure we do not get too comfortable with the life we have without one. Parents tend to help their children out as they job hunt. They will house, feed, and do all the things we had missed them doing while we are away at college, but this can cause a dependency we spent at least four years trying to erase. Most will think after experiencing this again, why leave? Which are what causes “failure to launch.” Not utilizing the skills and work we had put in and learned during high school then college can cause people to start to go backward in life. Although we are expected to do it in steps, working, getting your own home, and starting your own independent life are crucial to becoming a well-functioning adult, and not doing so is more common than most think. Out of 2020 graduates, “45% of them are still looking for a job.” (Quillen, 2021). This is almost half of the generation, and although this doesn’t mean they are lesser than the 55% that do, it just means that they may need more of a push to get to that same place. For those with or without learning differences such as ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s, Learning Disabilities etc. This transition can be even more difficult. College is a much different environment than work. In college, you’re expected to make mistakes and ask questions, but in the work field, they expect you to have most of the tools you need to succeed, seeing you may have a degree in that area. Yet, you are still young. Employers expect you to have slip-ups, but the fear of messing up in the first place can hinder people from going out and starting their own life. Of adults with learning differences, “7 in 10, (69%) are said to still live with their parents.” (angelwingsfoundation, n.d.). This high of a number can be caused by many things, such as fear, anxiety, perceptional challenges or low self-esteem, but learning how to work past these things and kick start your adult life can be made much easier with the right help.

The College Life Skills Program helps teach those with these struggles how to feel confident when starting their adult life. Having the proper executive functioning, life, social, and emotional skills can allow those who struggle with independence to flourish before, during and after college. No one wants to feel like they wasted both their money and time in college. So much work goes into getting a degree, so if you or a loved one are suspected, or currently facing the issue of “failure to launch.” The CollegeLSP is the program to combat it.

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of college students and those high school students preparing for college. The CollegeLSP is a subsidiary program of the Support For Students Growth Center, located in Boca Raton, FL and providing services nationwide.

 

 

Independent Living Statistics for adults with disabilities. Homes for Adults with Epilepsy | Angel Wings Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2022, from http://www.angelwingsfoundation.net/resources-and-support/independent-living-statistics-for-adults-with-disabilities/#:~:text=According%20to%20parents%2C%20nearly%207,with%20their%20parents%20or%20guardian.

Quillen, A. (2021, July 16). With millions of job openings, why are college grads still struggling to find work? NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/with-millions-of-job-openings-why-are-college-grads-still-struggling-to-find-work/2681757/#:~:text=A%20recent%20survey%20of%201%2C000,of%20grads%20were%20still%20unemployed.