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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

  • Halls accommodation is an important issue. Find out what's available and reserve the right sort of accommodation early, as there can be a mad rush for places at the start of an academic year and you could end up with something unsuitable. Halls do vary with some halls on corridors with communal kitchens, others run as self contained flats of half a dozen students, while a few have shared rooms (or even two or three rooms sharing a toilet with multiple access). Some can be very anonymous, elsewhere you may be too closely confined with a disagreeable group, and it is very difficult to re-arrange accommodation.

    On a pre-enrollment viewing you cannot always get a clear idea of what it would be like full of students, some with over loud hi-fi systems or televisions, and you need to look at communal areas. There can be issues over sharing fridges and sharing clothes drying facilities.

    Some universities still put all the disabled students in one block, or on the ground floor, or in an area less popular or less quiet. Others will put disabled students in with mature students or overseas students with the notion this may be quieter. Or one instance I recall, an aspergers male with 5 girls in a flat with the absurd notion this would be supportive!

    The support available still varies widely between universities. nmr1991 seems to have had a favourable arrangement.

    It is important to shop around, ask lots of questions, and ask to see facilities.

Reply

  • Halls accommodation is an important issue. Find out what's available and reserve the right sort of accommodation early, as there can be a mad rush for places at the start of an academic year and you could end up with something unsuitable. Halls do vary with some halls on corridors with communal kitchens, others run as self contained flats of half a dozen students, while a few have shared rooms (or even two or three rooms sharing a toilet with multiple access). Some can be very anonymous, elsewhere you may be too closely confined with a disagreeable group, and it is very difficult to re-arrange accommodation.

    On a pre-enrollment viewing you cannot always get a clear idea of what it would be like full of students, some with over loud hi-fi systems or televisions, and you need to look at communal areas. There can be issues over sharing fridges and sharing clothes drying facilities.

    Some universities still put all the disabled students in one block, or on the ground floor, or in an area less popular or less quiet. Others will put disabled students in with mature students or overseas students with the notion this may be quieter. Or one instance I recall, an aspergers male with 5 girls in a flat with the absurd notion this would be supportive!

    The support available still varies widely between universities. nmr1991 seems to have had a favourable arrangement.

    It is important to shop around, ask lots of questions, and ask to see facilities.

Children
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