Good university Maths courses and careers for DC with ASD

[HisMum4]

Time has come for the statemented DS to apply to university... Another maze to untangle.

Could you share any thoughts and experiences?

Where do Aspies cope best/worst, what the issues are, what to look for at open days?
All contributions welcome here or in Higher Education

[HisMum4]

Hi PolteGoose, thanks for great hints and advice as always!

I agree that it is very important for DS to feel safe and supported. Without this things would start falling apart. My problem now is that the list of possibilities is endless and we will never be able to systematically visit and check all the options. Once the grades will be known, the list would be narrowed sufficiently to focus on a realistic range of unis.

Problem is, DS isn't "engaged" in the university choice yet. He have seen Engineering and wanted to study it. Then he got a flavour of computing and was excited about that. Now he experienced a Maths taster course and is excited about Maths... you know how Aspies are. He is supposed to articulate why this particular subject and why this course, and what is the career he foresees..

[CMOTDibbler]

I think if he's good at maths, then the AQ of most actuaries is very high (dh works with them), or something like forensic accountancy might appeal.
Theres a lot of people working in financial mathematical modelling - I sat with someone at a dinner a few weeks ago who has a maths based Phd and had been offered roles in that, but had chosen a medical mathematical modelling field instead

[HisMum4]

CMOT, thanks for the ideas about actuaries and forensic.
Did you get a sense of what type of maths study lead to mathematical modeling, financial or biomedical? Is it Maths or statistics?
I recall some comments that theoretical Physics parts which are thaught in Maths degree are in demand in the financial industry. That would be a Maths degree then.

[CMOTDibbler]

Well this chap (one of the brightest people I have talked to in a long time, which is saying something) had a PhD in fluid flow on the quantum scale modelling, so I think his first degree was pure maths.

But I agree with Polter about pursuing a passion at this point - your ds is showing interest in a related group of degrees, and I know at 16 I was the same. I seriously considered electronic engineering for a while, and some other fields before finding out about medical physics and knowing that it was the perfect field for me, even if my original specialism target is one I never ended up working in.

[HisMum4]

Yes, Polter, I remember:).

DS did a taster course at Villiers Park this year. He returned inspired, sparkling with ideas and confident. He said "Mum, its time for me to explore the big wide world"..