A variation on college for students with disabilities helps develop life skills.

The second-floor office of College Living Experience, above 1st Capital Bank in downtown Monterey, looks like an ordinary office space at a glance.

But nestled inside is a compact version of a campus student center, complete with private rooms for content-specific tutoring, a kitchen for cooking classes, and a lounge area to blow off steam at the end of the day.

This is the hub for 43 students enrolled in the Monterey center of College Living Experience. It operates six locations nationally, guiding young adults with learning differences as they transition to living independently.

These young adults have conditions like Aspergers syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and certain kinds of ADHD that can make the already-stressful experience of college and moving away even more challenging.

Students attend a nearby college or vocational school while CLE provides academic support and lessons on independent living, social skills and career development.

Meggie Amarillas, 27, has been enrolled in CLE since 2010, making her one of their longest-attending students.

“When I was in high school, everyone talked of college, but I didn’t think I could handle the four-year experience with my autism,” Amarillas says.

She toured CLE’s original location in Denver after hearing about the program from a family friend. She decided to enroll in Monterey, closer to her family’s home in Santa Clara. She began taking classes at MPC in 2010 with the support of CLE and the services of the Access Resource Center at MPC, which accommodates students by offering things like extra time on tests and counseling.

Now Amarillas is at CSU Monterey Bay, studying collaborative health and human services with a focus on social work, and hopes to get a bachelor’s degree by the end of the semester.

Amarillas is taking a slower route to graduation by taking less than a full-time class load. But she’s made the most of that time by learning valuable lessons outside the classroom through CLE.

“I’ve learned how to cook, organize a schedule, and became more comfortable with socializing,” she says. “I also intern at the Gateway Center, which offers activities for adults with disabilities. It’s great because it relates to my major.”

While Amarillas applies her social skills as a volunteer, some fellow CLE students find work at places like the Monterey Airport and Lula’s Chocolates.

Along with school and work, CLE students live with one another in nearby apartments to complete the independent living experience. CLE’s residential adviser regularly checks on the wellness of students and helps them maintain good relationships with their landlords. An independent living school coordinator instructs students on everyday duties like grocery shopping and paying bills.

Emily Ayers, the assistant director of CLE Monterey, knows just how valuable learning those life skills is not just for CLE students, but for all youth.

“Getting a college education and job training is important,” Ayers says. “But life skills are valuable no matter what career you choose.”

The most valuable life skill learned for 23-year-old Anthony Noel Cepu, a CLE student who majors in history at MPC, is being mindful of money.

“I used to struggle with overspending, still do, but now I can stop the habit,” he says. “Sometimes I even leave my debit card here so it can keep me in check.”

Money is often on Cepu’s mind, especially when considering the cost of CLE – which will hopefully help him succeed. The traditional 12-month CLE program runs $45,575, and most students average two to three years with the program. Add to that monthly expenses (about $1,887 to $2,537 for rent and utilities), plus tuition, and it becomes an expensive venture.

“I went to San Francisco State fresh from high school and floundered a bit,” Cepu says. “Me and my mom visited CLE, but the price turned us off. So I enrolled in a community college in Fremont, had a hard time making friends, and after some serious depression decided to try out CLE.”

Cepu just finished his second day of the new semester at MPC and thinks his U.S. History to 1865 class is promising. Now his biggest challenge isn’t forming friendships or sustaining the motivation to pass a class, but being a positive influence on other CLE students.

“I’m becoming like an ambassador here, which is nice but it also makes me the go-to person for talking to new students,” Cepu says. “I strive to do more than the standard now. I know a lot of CLE students on the spectrum struggle to just get by, so I’m trying to be a role model for them.”

COLLEGE LIVING EXPERIENCE is at 300 Bonifacio Place, Monterey. 9am-5pm weekdays. 800-486-5058, experiencecle.com