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Planning for university

Hubbub

My son is 18, has aspergers and currently at a sixth form college. He is very scientific and 'mathy' but has struggled his whole life long with expressing himself with writing, and even the physical process of writing with pen and paper. His college lend him a laptop and he has extra time in exams.

As he would like to go on to university to study computer science and I would like to encourage him to reach his potential and find a niche in the adult world, we went to a university open day last week. I targeted the 'Student Support Accessibilty' Desk and they said for him to get any kind of support at (any) uni he needs to arrange an Educational Psychologist Assessment (EPA) and it was likely to cost us about £300, before going through other administrative hoops with the county council etc. to get all the right forms.

I was surprised that we have to pay at all, and so much for what I suppose is a diagnosis. He was diagnosed at 11 (going through our GP) and has had various special needs assistance through school.

Before I start the process of looking into all this (which I will do, and start saving up!) does anyone know if this is true about having to pay for this EPA ? Is help only available to those who can afford it?

Undecided

Parents

  • Independence is very important for him, he will have to get to grips with it sooner or later. We are not expecting uni to be like school, well, I hope not; he was expelled from his school in the first year of 6th form (a whole other story which left us rather battered). He is now in a college (30 miles away) and doing well enough. This college does not seem particularly well organised in the SEN department or passing any information home, and he is left more to his own devices which he has found he likes. He has found friends and is happy working in teams and a less fraught atmosphere. I think it might be a better stepping stone to university in the way that they teach and do assignments, whereas the 6th form at his old secondary was more 'schooly'.

    As for the confidentiality issue, well, what can I say, he is 18 and his own man. I guess I am trying to push him out of the nest in the safest way. Neither my husband nor I went to a university, but we have both had our share of dead end jobs and don't want this for his future when he has such a curious mind. We will also look into apprenticeships.

    We helped our other 3 children (all older) with what they wanted to do and I can do no less by my youngest. Only one of them went to university and is now a teacher and she is a great source of advice for my son. She has worries that he may not manage the sheer amount of work and the strict deadlines, but not about him living in halls or making friends.

    Thanks again for your thoughts.

Reply

  • Independence is very important for him, he will have to get to grips with it sooner or later. We are not expecting uni to be like school, well, I hope not; he was expelled from his school in the first year of 6th form (a whole other story which left us rather battered). He is now in a college (30 miles away) and doing well enough. This college does not seem particularly well organised in the SEN department or passing any information home, and he is left more to his own devices which he has found he likes. He has found friends and is happy working in teams and a less fraught atmosphere. I think it might be a better stepping stone to university in the way that they teach and do assignments, whereas the 6th form at his old secondary was more 'schooly'.

    As for the confidentiality issue, well, what can I say, he is 18 and his own man. I guess I am trying to push him out of the nest in the safest way. Neither my husband nor I went to a university, but we have both had our share of dead end jobs and don't want this for his future when he has such a curious mind. We will also look into apprenticeships.

    We helped our other 3 children (all older) with what they wanted to do and I can do no less by my youngest. Only one of them went to university and is now a teacher and she is a great source of advice for my son. She has worries that he may not manage the sheer amount of work and the strict deadlines, but not about him living in halls or making friends.

    Thanks again for your thoughts.

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