Anyone help on Uni applications?

[smudgethepuppydog]

I'm new to all this, I didn't go to Uni nor did DH or DD but DS wants to go and study either Ecology and Conservation with Wildlife Biology or Zoology. His current tutors say he is more than able to do either of these courses but both courses ask for a C grade in English which he doesn't have due to having a learning difficulty (Dysgraphia and Aspergers). Will not having the grade automatically rule him out? He got into his current course as they were prepared to accept his B grade in history (as it's also a heavily written subject but factually rather than imaginative, as an Aspie he doesn't get imagination).

I don't want to start building up his hopes if it's going to be an out and out no because he lacks a C grade in English (his science and maths grades were all A or A*).

What course is he doing now? The Uni might be prepared to accept his work from that course as evidence that he has a sufficient grasp of English to manage their course ok. Uni's do usually say they want a decent English grade, because they need to know that the student will have the skills in reading and understanding the course materials and putting across their own ideas in essays and exams. if he can show them he can do those things, and you explain the situation on the form, they will hopefully be able to make an exception. Specially if he seems really keen and puts across why he's interested in that course.

HTH

He's studying for a National Diploma in Animal Management and is on target for Distinction across all three marks. It gives him 360 UCAS points, the course he wants requires 200. It's not reading that's his problem and his comprehension skills have always been well above his chronological age, his problems lie with grammar, handwriting, spelling and punctuation.

That sounds like a high enough level course that they should be happy with his abilities in English. I think it might be worth you or him getting in touch with the Uni he wants to go to and explain the situation, just to make sure, but I don't see why they should have a problem with it if he's managing to do so well on his current course.

I believe there is a section on the UCAS form to state any disabilites and how this has affected your results. Under DDA they must take this into account and make reasonable allowances for him.

There will also be a section on the form to detail any extra study help you might need. For instance, my housemate with Aspergers has a little with getting things down on the paper so the uni give him extra time to complete his exams. We also get discounted internet but I don't know who pays out for that.

Thank you both. I've been searching the UCAS site but had only really got as far as the tariff table and where he could study what he wants to study.

He had such a miserable time at school that he was sure he'd never even go to college because he was 'stupid' and education 'wasn't worth it' (his words not mine) but this college have done wonders for his self esteem and love for learning that he now wants to do more with his life. I want to back him to the hilt after feeling like I let him down for so long (it took a long time to get his DX and some of the attitudes he encountered from pupils and staff in that time wasn't pleasant).

I owe his college a huge debt of gratitude.

Hi.
I'm not sure if you are still checking this thread, but just in case...

I VERY strongly recommend that he contact the admissions tutor for the courses/unis that he is interested in and ask for their advice. For circumstances like this that are so specific you will not find any useful guidance on the web - you need to make contact with the individual course. I have worked in admissions and TBH I have no idea how we would have reponded to his situation. It is clearly something that they would think about very carefully. I suspect that we would not have been prepared to waive the English requirement but then this was for a more essay based subject.

It is perfectly normal for prospective candidates to contact admissions tutors to ask for advice prior to putting in their UCAS forms. This is a far better option than him wasting a UCAS slot on a course that may automatically reject him.

Is there any chance that with the appropriate aupport he could get the english grade? Long-term this would obviously be the best outcome.