Autistic and applying for Oxbridge

[FlemCandango]

I have a ds in y12 about to do his A level mocks. He is academic, got 5 8s and 5 9s at GCSE and is of course in the cohort that did not sit their GCSE exams.

He is doing Further Maths, Physics and Classical civilization at A level so will have 4 A levels. According to his teachers he will be getting high marks and will potentially be predicted 4 A*. He is doing EPQ and has started looking at the STEP papers available online. He wants to do a maths degree and would like to apply to Cambridge/ a Russell group Uni.

He has special arrangements for his exams, extra time, separate room, word processor/ scribe as he has sensory issues that make it difficult for him in exam conditions and he cannot write clearly enough. He is very capable in academic areas and very uncertain / needs support in other areas. Typical spiky profile!

I would like to share experiences with other parents of children looking to apply to very competitive universities as DS is our oldest I am learning as I go how best to support him! I have got him signed up to the Cambridge virtual open day for disabled students on 10/11 July which I think will be useful. I am not sure what else I should encourage him to do!?

@Ironoaks might be able to advise.

[quote SusannahSophia]@Ironoaks might be able to advise.[/quote]
Cheers. I think I am on the right track... but I went to Uni a million years ago, I went through clearing and I was much less bothered about the calibre of university, more the distance from home. For ds it is all about the quality of the teaching not the nightlife!

I am happy to share any useful information we get from the open day. But it is quite difficult to get the balance right between supporting an autistic young person and letting them get on with it. DS is very confident talking about his subject but not so much about the practicalities.

My DS is studying medieval History at St Andrews, which is very competitive for Scottish students (due to cap on places). He is going into his fourth year next semester.
He has a HFA dx and has accomodations in exams etc.. We loaded with the disability officer and they sorted out extra time in exams etc. (DS also has a physical disability affecting one arm so his typing is slow). DS declined a mentor but chose catered halls to cut down on the extra work of feeding himself. Socially he was a little slow to find his feet, the fact that he was 17 for the first term did not help and he had to work harder than at school to maintain his grades. Second year was better, he had a wee job and got involved in socities, made friends through a shared hobby and started to enjoy himself. Covid called a half to all that which was a bit gutting but at least he has a fourth year still to go.
I was worried about how he would cope but he has been great, St Andrews was a good choice as not as overwhelming as a big city with a socities based social scene rather than a more hedonistic clubbing scene (not that there aren't party animals)

I can't offer advice on undergrad admissions but wanted to say that Cambridge University seems very good at supporting autistic students. When I was last there, a few years ago, they had a few social groups for autistic people, including ones based around activities so that the 'socialising' didn't have to be the focus. The people at the DRC were really helpful and approachable.

He'll need to apply to a specific college so it's worth looking at some of their websites. If he has sensory sensitivities or relies on routine he might want quieter accommodation ('quiet hall', shared house instead of halls, en-suite bathroom, etc.) and that's easier to get in some colleges than others.

I encouraged DS to apply to Oxford or Cambridge as I thought the college system might suit him but he was having none of it! Too far away from home, too unfamiliar. Still hoping he might go for post grad because I would like to visit but it's his life!

Hi, DS is in his first year at Cambridge studying Physical Natural Sciences. He has ASD, ADHD and hypermobility.

UCAS form: he ticked the disability box, there's a box where they can add details. This does not appear on the summary that the admissions tutors see.

Pre-interview assessment: this took place at his school. They can have the same exam arrangements they would have in regular exams.

Interview: the college had a form they could submit to request access arrangements for the interview if needed.

DSA: As part of the student loan application, he ticked the box to apply for DSA. This is a process with multiple steps including: submit medical evidence when asked; book and attend study needs assessment; order assistive technology equipment through approved supplier. DS was offered 1:1 sessions with a specialised mentor but declined this.

University Disability Support Centre: they asked DS to fill in a form about his needs.

College accommodation: DS requested quiet accommodation, provided medical evidence, and was allocated a room in a quieter part of college. He was also allowed to arrive a couple of days early, to give him extra time for orientation and familiarisation.

Exam arrangements: the college contacted him directly, having already received some info from the disability support centre. The only access arrangements DS had at school was a laptop to type answers with extended writing. His writing is barely legible and writing for any length of time causes him pain in his hands and wrists.
In principle he was offered the adjustment of using a word processor for his first year university exams. In reality, he handwrote all of them (5 x 3h exams) because it's 90% algebra, equations and diagrams.

Because of the pandemic, exams are taken in different formats now, depending on the department. All four of the departments DS learns with (Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science) made the first year papers available at a set time, the students worked in their rooms under open book conditions, then had to scan and upload handwritten answers 3 hours later.

Thank you so much! Wbeezer, Green and Iron you have really given me hope that DS can find his way through. It is a scary prospect preparing him for the next stage of his life and going to university has been part of his plan since Primary school!