I graduated from University College Chichester with a BA (Hons) in Childhood Studies: Early Years in October 2005. My experience of life as an undergraduate was positive, however I feel some of the less positive encounters were also useful as they helped me to develop as a person.

Before I started my degree course, I had mixed feelings about the big “transition” from college to university – excitement at the wider prospects ahead, and some worry as to how I would cope physically. I have a few tips to pass on in two areas – the preparatory time when you are looking around the likely possibilities and visiting places, and life once you are in.

Preparing for University

Once you have a shortlist of universities that offer the course you want, you MUST go and see them for yourself to check whether they are really as suitable for your needs as they seem in the prospectus!

For example, I visited two other universities before making the choice of Chichester . One turned out to have parts of the course a mile away from the campus and I couldn't actually look at the on-campus disabled living accommodation for myself, because ‘someone was in it', even though I had arranged my visit a fortnight ahead! The second place looked fully accessible on the smart prospectus map, but when I went there the entire campus was on a steeply sloping part of town! The tutors I spoke to there also told me all the things I wouldn't be able to do on my chosen course!

I went to an open day at University College Chichester after deciding against the others. The Course Co -coordinator and the Disability Co -coordinator were both encouraging about me doing Childhood Studies. I saw that it was a small campus where I could move easily between lectures.

Wherever you go though, and whether you decide to live at home or away, you will need to sort out for yourself who is going to help you with your non-academic needs...we found out quite late on that the University may ask you about them, but unlike school, they don't provide it. They expect you to know that.

We considered Community Service Volunteers (CSV) for a helper, but it would have been a long and involved process to find the right person. Luckily for me, my school and college helper agreed to carry on with me.

Taking the same helper from college helped me because she already knew what I needed. It was one less new thing I had to be focussed on. Having a helper might make things more difficult as people think you are already with someone, and may not approach you. I talked to my helper about this so that she recognised how I needed to make contact with other students.

Life at University

I had evaluated different universities for support, location and facilities before I made my choice. In the end, I decided that living at home would work better for me as it meant I wouldn't need full time support. I felt I would have to be very strong-minded and have an exceptional carer to live away from home. It does however mean that you will have to have or hire daily transport. That may be difficult enough if you (like me) can't get into an ordinary taxicab, but probably simpler (and more straightforward to pay for) than trying to live on site.

I was provided with academic helpers to take notes for me in lectures, and at home to help me with my private study. It helped me a huge amount to have someone to help me work at home with research and assignments. The Disability Co-coordinator helped me organise this.

In my first year, I had some problems on a placement, which were to do with lack of communication and understanding about my special needs from the staff at the placement and my tutors. After this problem had been resolved the Disability Co-coordinator helped me to write my ‘learning profile' – a description of my disability and special considerations I needed, to give to all my teaching staff. This proved to be invaluable, as it meant I didn't have to keep explaining myself; it was all written down. This is something one needs to get sorted at the start of university.

I also had a few problems with access into the library at the start of the course, and I had to keep asking what was happening to improve disabled access, just so they didn't forget I was there!

There is nothing like the feeling of satisfaction on Graduation Day. It was a great way to end what had been a very happy three years. I felt very proud of myself and all the students in my group, and felt rather sad having to take off my robes after the ceremony!

Lizzie Baily lizzie@wellspringwestsussex.org.uk