What to do with autistic brother!?

Hi there. It sounds as though you care very much for your brother, and really want the best for him in his future life. You don't mention his exact age, but I'm assuming he's a young adult and that he's considered competent (by the law) to handle his own money and make his own decisions, even though he's putting it towards things that clearly aren't in his best interest.

If you're likely to be the relative looking out for him in later life, have you considered applying for power of attorney (or the equivalent power where you live) so that YOU can manage his money for him until he matures and develops? It may take him longer than a neurotypical person, but who knows - by the time he's 35, he might be functioning at the level of a regular 20-year-old...and that's not so bad. He'd be able to manage independently.

I agree, it wouldn't achieve anything to tell him flat-out that he doesn't have the mental ability to successfully complete a degree-level course. That's something he'll only really understand and believe if he experiences it for himself. At the moment, he's in denial about having a disability.

Surely even a private, for-profit college isn't going to accept his application to study at degree level without some evidence that he's academically capable of understanding the course material and completing the required coursework adequately? What are the academic entry requirements for the course? (Or what would they be, if he was going to take it at a public/state college?) How do they compare to the basic certificate he's already gained? If there's a major gap between the educational level he has achieved, and the starting level for the college course, point that out to him.

Why not contact the college(s) yourself, explain your concerns and find out whether your brother would need to take a placement test before he commits himself financially to the course? Nudge him towards a college that DOES require a placement test. If he tries his best but fails the test, that might help him begin to understand his academic/cognitive limitations. Don't let that crush him, though - encourage him to work upon filling some of the gaps in his academic performance, and suggest he might be able to re-apply successfully in a couple of years' time. You never know, he may become more capable of comprehending and completing higher academic studies as he gets older.

In the meantime, is there any kind of volunteer position he might be able to get within a film-related industry, that would help him feel as though he was learning and contributing? (My small local cinema uses volunteer stewards, for example - the perks include free viewings of whatever films are screening, plus the chance to assist the projectionist or help with backstage tasks whenever stage shows come round.) If he has a "job" that fills some of his time, feels worthwhile and is directly related to his ambition, that may take the edge off his obsession with spending $$$$$ on an inappropriate course.

All the best with finding a solution that works for your brother.