A phenomenological study of twelve current students with autism studying in Mid-Western United States universities were interviewed about their time in middle and high school. The research question was “What were the lived experiences of university students with autism (ages eighteen to twenty-nine), during their middle and high school years?” Challenges and supports to the students are discussed. Chapter I, provides an introduction to the history and concept of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome also referred to as High Functioning Autism. Chapter II presents an academic literature review on the topic, including studies that have talked to students directly about their autism and time in middle school or high school. Chapter III discusses the data collection methodology, and introduces the researcher and the interviewees. Chapter IV provides the Theoretical Framework used to analyze the data in the study. Chapters V, VI, VII address the student’s own voices about the challenges they faced as students with autism in middle and high school, the supports they received, and their potential for the future. Included in each of these chapters is an analysis comparing and contrasting the student’s voices to the academic literature on various topics. Chapter VIII applies the Theoretical Framework to the student’s experience through an analysis. Chapter IX presents the conclusions. Challenges include late diagnosis of autism, the role of families in identification and support for obtaining resources, cultural issues that delay treatment, co-morbid conditions, academics, sensory issues, participation in class, executive function, lack of social skills training, bullying and loneliness. Successful supports and accommodations are discussed, including the concept of democratic schools, potential careers, and the issue of disclosure. Limitations and implications are noted, personal findings shared, and recommendations made for future research.