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Advice on choosing a uni

NAS71158

Hi,

My daughter was diagnosed with ASD at the start of lockdown just before she was 16 and about to do her GCSEs. She is now in L6 and keen to go to uni after her A levels. I am wondering if any of you have any advice about how we can help and support her in making her decisions and any tips anyone may have who have been through this process. 

She is in a mainstream school and receives no additional support at the moment, which is OK as she has been at the school since she was 11. I know she is concerned about the transition to uni and move away from the friends she has/familiar locations etc and is clear on some of what she thinks she needs to help her (quiet spaces/small classes etc). 

If anyone has any wise words they could pass on I would be hugely grateful!

TIASlight smile

Parents

  • Hi - a lot depends on her level of needs and what uni she's thinking of and what course she's looking at studying - some require more hours than others which can be draining.     

    It can be a lot to be suddenly forced to be self-sufficient - the food, hygiene and clothes washing etc.- how self-reliant is she?   There's usually some kind of cafe open on campus but it can be very expensive if she's doing 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.   The on-campus washing machines can be a total rip-off - it all adds up quickly!.

    The lectures and classes can be at odd times and, again, depending on the course, there may be only a couple of days of work so if she's not very social, there's a lot of hanging around - going to the nearest uni may make commuting possible so she's at home most days and parental support is only down the road.

    My daughter graduated last year - by coincidence, the course she wanted was at a uni only 12 miles away but the social calendar turned out to be disappointing / awful / non-existent (the place basically shut over the weekends) and she only had to be there for a few hours on three days so it was convenient for her to commute - it saved a fortune in accommodation in years 2 and 3!     (Her other choice was about 25 miles away - again, manageable if it had to be)..

    All will have support teams for the students - some are better than others - so it's worth talking to them now to help her sort out what her plans might be.   (you get a 'feel' for how useful they are - or not  Smiley ).

    Does she have PIP?    Also, she may qualify for local authority transport back and forth or the uni may pay for it for her..

Reply

  • Hi - a lot depends on her level of needs and what uni she's thinking of and what course she's looking at studying - some require more hours than others which can be draining.     

    It can be a lot to be suddenly forced to be self-sufficient - the food, hygiene and clothes washing etc.- how self-reliant is she?   There's usually some kind of cafe open on campus but it can be very expensive if she's doing 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.   The on-campus washing machines can be a total rip-off - it all adds up quickly!.

    The lectures and classes can be at odd times and, again, depending on the course, there may be only a couple of days of work so if she's not very social, there's a lot of hanging around - going to the nearest uni may make commuting possible so she's at home most days and parental support is only down the road.

    My daughter graduated last year - by coincidence, the course she wanted was at a uni only 12 miles away but the social calendar turned out to be disappointing / awful / non-existent (the place basically shut over the weekends) and she only had to be there for a few hours on three days so it was convenient for her to commute - it saved a fortune in accommodation in years 2 and 3!     (Her other choice was about 25 miles away - again, manageable if it had to be)..

    All will have support teams for the students - some are better than others - so it's worth talking to them now to help her sort out what her plans might be.   (you get a 'feel' for how useful they are - or not  Smiley ).

    Does she have PIP?    Also, she may qualify for local authority transport back and forth or the uni may pay for it for her..

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