This is perhaps the best place to come for practical help; most of us have overcome similar difficulties, or found ways to work around them. You seem to want to work on your weaknesses, which is more than I was willing to acknowledge at 17, so you probably have a head-start on some of us there .

If you are in the US, actually the BEST time to do this is before you are 18.  Inm the US, there is this DDD department of developmental disabilites.... and besides doing something now you can even get a couple of accomodations to help you with "transitions" (always hard for people but I think more difficult for spectrum people - like you - regardless of any offical labels or dx's///( you do have social / sensory issues) if you are willing to admit a difficulty, others will help. (or they to find a work around)

Parents are - well varied - no two are alike - it seems like yours would help support you in the process anyway - not necesarily looking for a dx, but for some knowledge on how to make the next few steps into adulthood particualrly if being independant will be ahrd/er if you are not comfortable speaking to others... (in other words your mom would understand)

sorry I reread the above and I have to leave it sort of confusing - hope you get my point - but I have to go ... for now.

--I am in the US--
Some of it was a bit confusing, but I reread it and got it more the second time, but still a little bit confusing.
Anyways, my dad wouldn't help. I already know this due to the fact that he only cares about himself anyway. My mom basically does everything for the family (so you can tell she's sometimes stressed). My dad goes to work and she takes care of me and my brother. I don't know if this is an important fact or not, but my brother was diagnosed with ADHD in the third grade. The thing that makes me mad about this is he takes major advantage of it. I mean, I can understand taking advantage of it sometimes or here and there, but he uses it for every excuse possible. He's become very dumb because of it (ex: being 15 and not knowing how to spell 'strong') and I know people that are very smart that have ADD or ADHD. So, to me, it's no excuse. I am not DX with ADD or ADHD, although I do have really poor concentration if you have a computer around me or a phone that has internet because my special interest is into computers so I instantly get attached.
I've been going to my psychiatrist since August last year and I guess she hasn't really noticed how I act, either that or she just doesn't care. And her knowing that I get good grades, she thinks I definitely don't have it now, but that shouldn't be the case. Just because someone gets good grades doesn't mean they wouldn't have it. I struggle so much in school, but no one sees it just because I don't say anything. I struggle from wanting to be on the computer during school and I can't so it makes me unable to concentrate sometimes from that, struggle from all the weird looks I get from people at school (or just from public), that I can only learn from patterns (I've taught myself my own way of learning because I hate asking for help), etc.
Help would be nice, but no one ever pays attention to me to notice whether if something is wrong with me or not. They just treat me like I'm perfectly fine when deeply inside, I'm not.
I'm still unsure what to do. It's really hard for me. I don't want the same thing end up happening that happened with my psychiatrist when I tried telling her. I don't like the thought in my head that my mom is just gonna instantly reject me on it. I was thinking of emailing her (although we're in the same house) about what I believe I have, but then I don't like having anxiety waiting for an answer; because I've done this before when I tried telling her or tried helping her understand transgenders better. Last time I did this, she just took out the negative parts of it and used it against me. I don't want that happening again. I just still get that enough for being transgender and it hurts.
Sometimes I feel like I have the courage to tell her, but at the same time I'm still scared. :/

hmm, well, since you are young, it may help to have a diagnosis to get you through college. Usually there is a disabilities services office that can make little accommodations if you need them (extra tutoring, note taking, extra time for tests, etc).

It strange your psych thinks that good grades isn't a qualifier...a lot of Aspies have above average IQ. I get very excellent grades, but one of my special interests is culture and ethics, and if something doesn't jibe with me-- I will on principle be completely unable to do it. Like GRE--its not validated for minorities, and there are many problems with it as a grad school aptitude exam, its essentially a money making scheme, so I did not/could not study for it and got a low score. My mind wouldn't concentrate....

As for classes, I did not really need the help of a disability office.

Extra time for tests would be nice. I always end up turning things in late or just on the last second. It's not like I want to do that, I don't at all. I just have a hard time concentrating on it, whatever it is, especially if it's big projects.
Yeah, I know that Aspies have above average IQ, but most NT / people that don't have it don't think that obviously. They think everything wrong of us Aspies, unless they actually have looked into it or have studied it before.

In that case^ I would seek an official diagnosis to help with school.

If its encouraging- I just had an appointment today (my therapist -who at first disregarded the diagnosis - has been doing more research into Asperger's). He said he definitely sees the spectrum traits in me and we had a very productive session.
-S

I'm happy for you and glad that you're therapist is at least considerate. Mine, unfortunately, is not. I think she just goes there to get paid basically. There's a lot of quacks out there.

yep. unfortunately.

There seem to be a lot of people from the US who have therapists of one sort or another.  Is this a US phenomenon, and do you feel they're helpful? (Particularly since many of them seem to disregard Aspergers as a dx).  
Alison

I don't exactly understand you're question, but I'm going to try to answer it anyway.
Most of them aren't helpful in my opinion. It's very lucky of someone to actually get a true professional therapist / psychiatrist expert.

^Agreed, to an extent. Most schools/community centers have a counselor or psych on staff who I think are only helpful for people with "minor", or common issues (anxiety, depression, anger, suicidal ideation). But for more complex problems, you would need to find a specialist, or someone very exceptional to really get help.

Lol, my school doesn't even have a counselor. How sad is that...