Applying for university (engineering) with six GCSEs

[alnitak]

Namechanged for this as it's very outing.

My autistic son is at a specialist school where the academic provision is limited, and they are teaching a very wide range of ability in each lesson. Despite that he is on track to get six GCSEs, with grades of around 7, higher for maths and computing. He'll be moving for A levels.

I was looking for university engineering taster things and some stipulate 8 GCSEs as a minimum, which made me worry for him.

His school have said that he could take triple science instead of double, which would bring it up to 7, but that seems like a huge amount of work between now and GCSEs and he is understandably anxious about that.

Is this going to be a problem for him? And is adding the content of an extra GCSE between now and June realistic?

What type engineering of degree? Where? There are many many options. Some won’t be choosy about GCSEs. They may well want English at 4/5 though. Maths A level would be vital.

I’ve just looked at Portsmouth. English 4, Combined Science 4. No mention of 8 GCSEs. Not sure where you are getting this from? Former polys are worth looking at. Often they have great links with employers.

Thanks, this is reassuring. The 8 GCSEs was a requirement on a couple of year 11 outreach things and that is what panicked me.

I work for an engineering firm & we get a lot of our great grads from Uni of Surrey - they just ask for Maths and English at a grade 4.

Many Scottish schools, the ones that follow the Scottish Government’s guidance, only do six Nat 5s so I couldn’t see that this would be an issue with Scottish unis. However, universities are not allowed to discriminate against students on the basis of disability and an autistic child might well have more limited GCSEs due to schooling or the need to take breaks in the school day. I would phone up interested universities and track down their disabled student advisor. They should offer supports for disabled students applying as well as those studying at their institutions

www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/how-do-i-avoid-discriminating-relation-admission-terms

Ask at the universities. Don’t look at the high tariff ones. They might well want 8! And use them for selection too. Be realistic. Look at the Engineering Council for engineering branches. Look at the different institutions for open days etc. This might steer him regarding courses and interests.

Thank you this is incredibly useful, it's all new to me, I was a humanities person. @TizerorFizz I had a look at the Engineering Council website and there is loads of brilliant stuff on there but I couldn't work out what you meant by engineering branches - are they local organisations? Sorry for the possibly stupid question!

While I have this thread I wondered if I could also ask people if they know of any residential or taster sessions? I couldn't seen anything obvious in the links from the Engineering Council, though I will go back and scour. Smallpeice Trust doesn't work for us this year. My DS hasn't had any work experience or even school trips and he is really keen to get out there and start doing things.

@alnitak
By branches I meant: mechanical, Civil, chemical, electronic, auto, nautical and lots more. They all have professional Institutions and students become student members. Some might have open days or more advice on what each covers. There are also degrees that cover things like construction management, robotics and other allied areas of study.

im out of touch with taster sessions. However asking local employers can be useful. My DHs company welcome school pupils to see what they do. Look for consultancies and contact them direct. You can book open days at universities. I would get started on this too.

The attached is from the Institution of Civil Engineers. ICE Inspire is directed at school
pupils. The “what we do” projects also gives good info. Many engineering consultants will have projects on their web sites. A taster day can be limiting as obviously offices are working on very detailed projects so what anyone sees is a snapshot. Site visits are difficult too for safety reasons. Some firms actively welcome young people contacting them though - future employees!

What form of engineering might Dc like? Does he have hobbies or interests that might make him lean one way or another? DH is a civil engineer and says he always admired buildings! Big ones. He now works far more on flood management schemes and road design. He’s also a structural engineer but most students choose one discipline or the other these days. So is it cars, aircraft, the built environment, wind turbines, engines, our electricity supply - so much is covered by engineering that we take for granted every day!

You are incredibly kind, thank you so much. His dream job is in R&D in robotic engineering, his fall back is programming. I think his plan is to do a general engineering undergrad and robotics for a masters. I do think he needs some decent informed careers advice at some point.

Have a look at Headstart. My son did a course with them in year 12. Great experience and good for the UCAS form!
www.etrust.org.uk/roboticsatuniofliverpool

Leicester University have a residential programme called Space School. Incudes building and launching a rocket and attending a sample lecture etc.

Not my discipline, but given the programming interest, I wonder if your DS might look for software coding training? There are summer camps he can do (and a GCSE, if relevant).

I was a communications engineer in the RAF. Loved it. I agree with others that unis that were previous Polytechnics will be a good option - I went to one and they have strong links with industry. In terms of events/activities, it really depends where you are in the uk or how far you’re willing to travel. Try googling “schools outreach engineering <county>“

www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/inspiring-stem-careers/

www.eng.cam.ac.uk/events-and-outreach/schools-and-community-outreach

Most universities are open to contextual offers, if he does well at gcse and has good internal marked at the end of year 12 this will be able to be used to help with his application even to places that normally would expect 8.

All that said there are many places to do engineering and not all have very high requirements anyway plus you can do a foundation course too. Portsmouth for instance has lower entry requirements but is excellent if interested in marine engineering

@alnitak

Mechatronic engineering would be a great choice with those interests.

@alnitak Look at Sheffield for robotics. Not sure what his A level choices will be but Maths, Physics and Further Maths keep all doors open. If he’s not doing FM, then Sheffield might not be on his radar.

Lots of DC who do general engineering don’t become engineers. Oxbridge is renown for this for example. Durham too. They supply grads for the finance sector! So be careful what you look for! You also narrow the choice of university right down. Few of the RG universities offer it. Then few of mid ranking ones too. It is better to look at the mid ranking ones if FM
is not a possibility but I would look for a precise discipline. The vast majority of students do.

The UCAS site has plenty of helpful information about the whole process. There are regional events (which used to be called 'UCAS Fairs'), for which the sixth form your DS moves on to may organise a group visit, but they can also be booked independently.

www.ucas.com/explore/search/events?refinementList%5Bevent_type%5D%5B0%5D=exhibition
ultimateguides.ucas.com/

The University of Bath used to run residential courses for autistic sixth formers (not necessarily linked to a definite application to that University iirc), but I don't know whether these have been restarted post-Covid restrictions.

Lots of good advice here, OP, and I write as a former Russell Group STEM admissions tutor.

I do have a slight concern about the plan your DS has to start with a general engineering degree. If he wants to work in the sector, would it not be better to do something more specific at the undergraduate level?

Given he is also thinking of programming, a taster activity in that area might also be useful

I am incredibly grateful to all of you for all this amazing advice. I feel a bit emotional actually, thank you so much.

I know that DS knows that I have no idea and so won't take advice from meI.s there any other way @poetryandwine to get the message about not doing a general engineering degree to him? Is it just a question of getting him to UCAS events and whatever taster events are available so someone else can explain?

@MarchingFrogs I remember reading about those Bath residentials absolutely years ago and thinking they sound brilliant. I will have a look.

@TizerorFizz he does want to do further maths, he was choosing between that and computer science so that's good to know. So as I understand it once you have narrowed the discipline down then there is not a huge amount of choice. At which point my main concern will be pastoral support, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

UCAS and taster events sound a good plan, OP. And perhaps you could try working backwards from his career goals. Do a search on ‘I want to work in Robotics R&D’ and see what the advice from reputable sources is. I might be wrong

Best of luck to your DS

My autistic godson did a limited number of GCSEs from home as an independent student, but thrived at college and is currently doing a degree at tedi-london.ac.uk/ which is a new specialist engineering institute. They have small cohorts and are looking after him brilliantly.

There's a link to TEDI in the UCAS Events stuff somewhere - it certainly sounds interesting - very much 'one track', though, with no optional modules, but if there is enough of interest to applicants, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Oh, and it seems to be linked to KCLSU, which would broaden the general experience, for those who want it.

Thank you @spiderlight, stories like that are so reassuring.

That's actually about a half hour journey from us! Is your godson in accommodation there or living at home?