coping at university

thank you all for your helpful comments, we have taken them all on board and using the information to find the right place for her . A levels are approaching rapidly now so we'll wait and see how she goes.

Rubyruby,

I have AS and have a Degree (BEng (hons) in Software Engineering for Real-Time Systems, to be precise), so, if nothing else, I'm living proof that someone with AS can do well at Uni! 

Now, having said that, I think there are a couple of important caveats - firstly, I wasn't diagnosed when I was at university, though I don't know that helped or hindered me (I believe I may have got support from the unversity had I, and they, known, and who knows, maybe I'd've come out with a slightly higher grade of degree), secondly I did a degree in something which I was already very interested in, found quite easy, and didn't require excellent academic skills (there's not much essay writing, for example, in a Software Engineering degree).

However, there were a few things I found extremely helpful - the first I've already mentioned - because of my interest in the subject I wanted to go to the lectures, and, so, though I too find timekeeping and organisation difficult, I made to those lectures I wished to go to - which brings me on to the second thing - whilst there are of course deadlines for assignments, and so on, and lectures are at a certain time in a certain place, there's next to no requirement to actually attend any lectures at all - as long as you complete the coursework on time, and achieve the grades to get through each year, it's entirely up to you how you acheive that - that makes the whole timekeeping thing much less stressful, and easier to manage - finally, I find the more academic someone is the more 'aspy traits' they tend to have (a broad generalisation, I know), and so I found 'fitting in' and 'making freinds' was much easier at University than it ever was at school, or has been since - plus, one's coursemates and oneself are all in the same boat, so there's a degree of camaraderie from that.

I went to Uni before my diagnosis of AS. I went to a local Uni which was only a 15 minute walk away from my family home.  I did very well at Uni and received no support at this time. I did not need any support with academic life because I am an autodidact and the subject, history, came naturally to me. What I needed support in, but did not receive at this stage, was with my anxiety and with life skills - areas of my life outside of University. I would not have coped with halls and this remains the case. Any form of communal living would be hell on earth for me because I need my own personal space and I am a control freak, particularly since I also have OCD. 

I have no desire at this stage to do a Post Grad  course, but if I did, I would apply for support with travelling to various locations for research purposes. But I need no extra support with academic areas because I am academically very able, and socializing does not interest me unless it is related to academic work.

There may be differences in support between postgraduates and undergraduates. Postgraduates on taught courses should be covered by the same support network as undergraduates. Research postgraduates, whether Masters or PhD are usually supported by a small group of individuals formed of a main supervisor and several advisory supervisors and a personal tutor.

The personal tutor may not necessarily be well informed on disability, so if you are talking to the University's disability support team ask if the personal tutors for research postgraduates get disability awareness training.

Because research postgraduates are working on their own subject matter, and are left to their own devices more, they are less likely to get the right kind of support. But they also have to meet assessment deadlines around proposal writing and progress reports.

For these appreciation of the difficulties researchers might enounter are less well known. Particularly it is important you are able to understand what your supervisors want from you, so you might need someone from disability support to be present during meetings with supervisors if you are encountering difficulties with this.

I'm older (41), a post-grad and recently diagnosed but my university is willing to put an action plan together if you can show them strong suspicions of ASD before you have the rubber-stamped diagnosis as they know there can be a long wait.  If you're dr is supportive a letter from them would do it.

If you're looking at universities find out how comprehensive their disability support is and what they offer.  Mine has mentoring, study coaching, help with planning, software, etc as well as the extra time and quiet rooms for exams.

My supervisors have been great, interested and supportive but not particularly knowledgable but this is something that can be got over as they're keen to know more and how they can help.

As an ASD person it's nice to be in an academic environment where ASDs are around and you can feel quite normal.  :-)

A young male family member of mine (undiagnosed but obvious ASD tendencies) went to university and lived in halls and despite a few bumps (having to learn or have help with washing clothes, washing self and the occasional 'what's the point?' moments) he coped really well with it and got a lot out of being away from home.

He was at a university that was only an hour and a half away and his parents were able to go up as and when required to pick him and his washing up.  Despite not being sociable he made a couple of friends and was welcome as a non-drinker on nights out....the nominated responsible adult. ;-)

I would suggest:
* checking out the disability services of prospective unis on line and when you visit,
*consider somewhere local enough for far enough away to be independent,
*the course leader/tutors experience and willingness to learn about ASD and how they can help avoid problems.

Good luck with it all,
Lulu :-)

It is reassuring to see ColinCat-mod's favourable experience of his son being in halls of residence. There's no reason why it cannot work to advantage, but my perception is that, while support is provided on the education side, it doesn't always extend to the social issues of living in halls.

I personally benefitted tremendously from living in halls (and being a hall tutor) as a postgraduate, because it seemed to be just the right environment to resolve a lot of personal issues.  Having been a lecturer in later life I haven't had the contact with modern halls, but being involved in disability support, am acquainted with the issues that flare up.

Some universities still have halls with central catering but these are rarer now. Most universities have flats of six to eight students with a shared kitchen. It is commoner now to have an en suite shower and toilet. It is still possible to have hall rooms with shgared toilets and washing facilities, or shared between two rooms with two doors, and there are still halls with shared rooms.

The support infrastructure has declined. In the years following "in loco parentis" (ie since the age of majority went down to 18) many halls retained good support infrastructure such as wing tutors. Gradually this has reduced to a non-interventionist approach where there are tutors or sub-wardens in place to stop riotous behaviour but little else. Cleaners often end up as surrogate mums, but that has been diminished in recent years.

It means that an AS student could find themselves in a shared flat with others who are too noisy or who don't like having an AS flatmate, and that can make things difficult, especially if the contract for the room prevents changeovers or withdrawal without a penalty.

Not all universities seem to include halls in the support given to disabled students, beyond providing accessible accommodation for physical disability.

Therefore you need to ask questions. Most universities on open days will show off a "typical room" but you really need to know more than that. It is no use waiting until the start of term for your child to find out about complications. You need to find out what support there is and whether the halls staff are familiar with autistic spectrum or other disabilities. You may well find that admin staff in the education side, and teaching staff are briefed, but not hall staff or cleaners. You need to know what shared facilities are there, and what alternatives there are for eating.

At the moment I don't think hall accommodation is considered in disability support work in universities. They are into this "level playing field" approach, based on the social model of disability. Provide coloured handouts, note takers, and extra time in exams, but 1 to 1 support may be limited. 

Hi

My son went to university in September.  We were not expecting him to  pass any A levels and therefore had not applied for anything including accommodation, finance, disabled student allowance etc.  After a mad panic on my part I got him a place in halls.  He has amazed us all by coping really well both with his studies and with the social side of things.  I am not sure that he washes his clothes very often or eats particularly well but he is no different to most other students in that respect.  He does ring home daily and I can tell if he has had a good day or not.  Next year he is going in to a rented house with a friend which will reduce some of the stresses he has with sharing with others although he has managed very well.

Colincat

Marty mentioned disabled students allowance http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/HigherEducation/DG_10034898] here is more information.

Hi I can pass on some advice as my son started at university last year and has a diagnosis of AS, dyslexia & dyspraxia.  

Just to give you some background on my son.  He applied to a number of universities and was accepted for one on the south coast over a 2 hour drive from home.  

Although he said that he was up for this challenge and we tried to prepare him for it, he found it difficult and had an epiphany where he decided he couldn't cope in the halls of residence and perhaps after all the course wasn't for him.

We brought him back home and I tore round all the local universities looking for courses with vacancies that might suit him.  Luckily I found him a place on a course which he could drive to within an hour from home.  The course is also more in line with his interests.  At the moment, having been accepted at the last minute, he is a part time student, but everything is working well so far, he is doing well academically and the university is very supportive.

My advice would definitely be try and look for a course at a university close to home so that your daughter could remain living with you.  If she adapts well then she could always go into the halls of residence later on.  Even if she says she can cope, be clear in your mind that you think she can, and have a plan B up your sleeve in case things don't work out.

Contact the support service at the university and nag them incessantly.  The original university my son had a place in had a great service set up for the academic side, but they were not there for him/us when he went into the halls of residence.  Personally I think AS students would be best supported in lodgings like a supported living environment initially.  Halls of residence with rowdy noisy students on freshers weeks are a nightmare for AS students.

Do apply for the DSA grant and make sure she gets assessed early.  Due to my misunderstanding my son didn't get assessed until after he started at his new university.  There are lots of really good software programmes like mind mapping tools etc which help students organise themselves which you can get as part of the DSA award.  You can also get an allowance towards mentoring to ensure that the student is organised etc.  

I hope some of this is helpful.