Aspies For Freedom

Hey, I'm new here. I'm applying to college but I am having problems trying to distinguish myself from other "normal" applicants. Here is my short education life-story:

I guess my parents thought something was wrong so we always made numerous trips out-of-state to the University of Chicago for evaluations. I'm guessing it was there I was diagnosed. I'm considered to be a "borderline" aspie.

I attended a public elementary school for K-4 grade and did have a few friends but none of them lasted more than a few years. I was keeping up with the school work put had constant problems when working independently. I also had problems holding a pencil that don't exist today. However, my handwriting is still horrid. In school I visited both speech therapists and visual therapists. Starting 3rd or 4th grade I was put on medication for who-knows-what. All I know is that the first one only made me more aggressive and the other did nothing. I was then taken off the meds and switched to a different school.

My parents then decided to transfer me to a private school starting 5th grade. This school is actually also for "normal" kids but had much smaller class sizes of about 12 students, which they thought would help me. Unfortunately, the school had a very large emphasis on foreign language (Spanish) which was simply not at my level coming from a public school that put very little emphasis on it. In addition, I continually felt as though the other students were smarter than me because they could reach answers to math questions more quickly. My teacher tried her best but struggled with the school as well to get them to give me what I needed. As a result, I left the school mid-year and my teacher resigned out of frustration at the school's administration at the end of that year.

My parents then attempted to place me in an auxiliary department of a prestigious  school in my area. This auxiliary department specialized in learning disabilities. Unfortunately, they ran out of space and I was forced to choose a different school to finish 5th grade. The school presented itself to me during the tours in a very different way than it turned out to be. It turned out to be a "retard" school. The work was way too easy for me. Actually, there was no teaching! Basically, the lazy teacher sat in her desk while we stared at our textbooks and we were graded based on whether or not we completed our work. Forget about correctness! One day, for a reason I still don't know, the teacher suddenly got up from her desk and out of the room without saying a word. I never saw her again. It was about 30 minutes until the school found out our teacher was missing. A week later they had a new teacher for us who emphasized learning even LESS! We pretty much played shuffleboard, set up a golf driving range on the field outside (I'm dead serious) and played computer games all day. Soon, we had a spring musical concert where we would play our recorders. I was the only one in my class to show up. It turned out we were on the same musical level as the 1st graders, so I was forced to perform with their class. It was one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life. My family left early and I went in a separate car home alone with my dad where he assured me that I would not attend for next year and would try again to get me into the prestigious school.

In short, they did! The school's "normal" branch sends at least a dozen kids to Ivies every year. The goal of their "disabled" branch is to get them mainstreamed and into a respected college whether it's a state school or a private one somewhere else in the U.S. I really needed this because I really learned nothing in 5th grade and it was as if I skipped it altogether. Basically, they're focused on actually getting the student up to speed instead of keeping them in remedial classes. What a concept! I was there for sixth grade and slowly matriculated subject-by-subject into their "normal" branch. By the middle of 8th grade I was already there. In 9th grade I took my first honors class- Biology, which I initially struggled in. Numerous times I was encouraged to drop back down to the college-prep level, but I stayed and eventually succeeded. I slowly kept taking on more honors courses until today, where all of my classes are honors except for English and my AP Environment class. I would have liked to be in more AP classes at this point but my school requires teacher recommendations to move up a level in an academic subject. (Imagine how many I needed to obtain since 6th grade!) Usually, a teacher also only recommends you if you are exceptional; I have also not received recommendations from teachers from subjects in which I kept an "A" year round! Just to get where I am now required a lot of hard to get recommendations. In addition, it took great effort to accelerate me into the math classes I needed to meet the prerequisites for my science courses; I went from pre-Algebra in 9th grade to Honors Calculus this year.

So that brings me to now. Since AP classes have been hard to come by for me though my school literally has dozens of them, I signed up for a college class last summer for a program at the honors branch of the local 4-year state university. I got to stay in their dorms that summer and take a challenging class. In short, it was awesome! The dorms were apartment style and by complete chance one of my roommates also was an aspie! I'm proud that I was easily his best friend during the course since many people stayed away from him. I definitely take my social abilities for granted though they are a little limited because of the Aspergers. I guess that's part of a "borderline" diagnosis. Anyway, I finished the course and even thought it was one of the most interesting I have ever taken. In fact, I even thought of it as a bit less challenging than honors Biology back in 9th grade. (A friend from my school that also attended the program later told me "Of course you thought it was easy! You survived Mrs._____'s class two years ago!")

I'm applying to fairly selective schools but I'm afraid my course difficulty is going to get in the way. Because I'm a Florida resident, I'm applying to the University of Florida and New College of Florida. Out of state, I'm applying to U of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and MAYBE Northwestern because my parents really want me to, though it is an extreme reach for me based on my lack of APs. My test scores are exceptionally good; I got a 32 on my recent ACT test. It sounds weird saying this, but I blame 5th grade for my position today. I have tried in every way to give  an excuse for my lack of APs in my college applications. I wrote about my "learning disability" for my college essay. (I don't mention Asperger's by name in it; who knows what that would lead to with the recent publicity.)

I'm just wondering if anyone has gone through this type of situation before too. I'm interested in your stories!

Speaking of applying to a college, I've seriously got to start searching.  My best bet would be my local university because my several of my family members have gone there before.  I've also got to take the ACT before I can get in, which I've got to remember to sign up for.  God, it's all moving way too fast.

As for disability, I'd have an advantage (somewhat).  Since the main focus there is Polymer Science/Mental Health, I may end up being a test subject for the students.  Go figure.

My education life-story:
When I was in K-5 grades, I did really well in all of my classes.  I was a regular honor roll student and made no lower than a B.  However, in the 6th grade I began to fail and the classes began to get harder for me.  I guess everything just failed to register in my head.  My parents pulled me out for homeschooling so I could be taught at my own pace, however I was a slacker and didn't do any work 9_9.  When I went back in the 8th grade, there was a large gap in my education so I didn't know anything.  I began to fail again, but mainly in math so my parents made the mistake of pulling me out again.  I came back in the 9th grade and still didn't know anything.  I failed Pre-Algebra, World Geography, and Mississippi Studies.  In the 10th grade, I had to redo those classes, while taking a large chunk out of my GPA and my time.  Now, in the 11th grade, I fear I may have to be a second year senior to catch up.  If I am, I'm going to have to just drop out and get my GPA.  It will cost more to get into college, but at least I will be in.  The classes, such as Freshman Comp., should be easy for me because I already write on Business level (so says my English III teacher, who is an ex-college English teacher).  The only problem I have is compare and contrast, so I'm working on getting that down.

In spite of myself, I'm going to go to a junior college first, which will get my freshman and sophomore classes out of the way.  That means everything will be easier for me.

I didn't have any APs but just wrote about what I wanted to study and what I wanted to do with my degree and apparently that worked as they gave me a huge scholarship.

I wouldn't sweat getting into a great university altogether too much... just make sure you learn whatever you need to learn wherever you go. I ended up dropping out because I just got too stressed out trying to keep my scholarship... that sucked. So, w/e.

What are AP's? I don't know the situation in other countries, but in Australia it is easier to get in as a "mature age student" if you are 25 or above. Sometimes, it's better to take a break after finishing high school and look for work and then go back to study later on.

AP = advanced placement. It's a class with a test you take in highschool to test out of some college subject, like Calc I, Physics, or Hist I or etc. You have to be in highschool though in order to do that. If you've already finished highschool you can take a CLEP test to test out of some subject, but they don't have as many different subjects and the tests are different. Like, they don't have Physics. I'd love to test out of Physics, but I can't because there's only an AP test and no CLEP test.

And yes, it's usually easier to get in if you're over 25yo, at least with public universities. With public universities it's also easier to get in if you transfer after getting a generic associates degree from a community college (which would be cheaper too, and give you a better opportunity to stay closer to home). It does take *forever* though to go from 18 to 25yo. I'm 23 and 18 seems like 3 lifetimes ago or so. Of course, in a sense it is... I graduated highschool at 17.75yo, then did a year of highschool in Thailand, then lived alone in a room attending university for a year, then got married and moved to the US, attended a community college for half a year, then moved and attended university for 2 years, then dropped out, bought a house and had a baby, stayed at home with the baby for a few months later attended truck driving school (graduated), and now I'm looking for a job. And I'm STILL nowhere near 25yo! Still got a year and 7 months to go.

That said, getting a job for a year or two before attending college can be a good idea, especially if you need it financially. Student loans are no fun, especially if you end up dropping out (and the baby was definitely not the only reason I dropped out). If I had to redo things, I'd probably have worked part time taken one or two classes per semester instead of going full time.

The thing that worries me if how negatively "dropping out" is viewed. It's not as if everybody is suited to going to college or that everybody wants to take on a whole lot of debt when it might not even lead to a job for them in the end.

DVM, what I love in your story is the determination that you have had to keep challenging yourself, and to fight for the right fit.  While I'm not a college admissions expert, I did a lot of interviewing for hiring people, and much more important than check marks on a resume was attitude.  Avoid making excuses and emphasize the positive:  that despite challenges you exhibited determination and drive and will continue to fight to challenge yourself and stretch your mind.  Never allow yourself to come off as having a chip on your shoulder.  Instead, allow yourself to come off as someone who has every intention of working as hard as possible until you've grabbed the gold star.

I hope you can get the college experience you dream of, but if you don't, remember that a top education can be had at a school that does not have a top reputation.  And during most of your career after college, who you are and what you have accomplished will play far more importance than where you once studied.  I had dreamed of Harvard but due to financial concerns never even applied.  I think in the end I was better for it:  I have wonderful memories of my college experience at the University of Washington.  Life is a funny thing.  What is best for one person isn't for the next.  A top school can be a negative experience; a lowly one can be a wonderful one.

Assuming one meets the major qualifications for admission, actually being accepted to college has an element of crapshootness to it because so many of the applicants have fairly similar profiles.  Try and write a compelling essay or personal statement--have some people critique it before you send it.  DW's advice seems good to me.

You can do everything right and still not get in where you want to go, so it's important, I think, not to take this as a personal rejection in any way. Arranging an interview might help--your summer dorm experience has given you good information about yourself.

As I mentioned before, I wrote my essay about my "learning disability." (I never mentioned Aspergers by name.) At first I was extremely hesitant about it; leaned towards writing about growing up in an interfaith family. Finally, my counselor insisted that writing an essay about what I have done can change the way many of the colleges view my application, so long as I only talk about "how I overcame....." and not "I don't have a lot of APs because......."