Yay! I start on the 20th :)

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I am very excited. I said in another post about my application, but now its real.

I took the accuplacer and got pretty good scores too 115/120 for English and 70/120 in math. Really glad I did not get higher in math. A 75 puts me in college algebra, and I am not ready for that. However I was told that many people test between 40-50 for math even with four years of it, so I am happy to have gotten a 70. Math is NOT my strong point. I don't suck at it but I don't like it. I have not taken a single math class for over 2 years, and the one I did before that I ignored... so for 3 years of no math at all a 70 is pretty darn good I think. I was also told that 115/120 for English is well.. unusually high so to speak. I have no real thing to base my scores on, but they said many people get about an 80 on English.

Then I had to pick classes with the adviser. I may have jumped off the deep end, but I am starting with a full load:
English Comp 1
Basic Algebra (one step below college level)
Web programing (had to pick a "computer science core", my other option was Intro to Computers, I was thinking about how if I took intro to comp I would be bored out of my mind)
And the first course for my major: Intro to Criminal Justice.

If I can manage this, then in one semester I will have done 3/7 required general education classes that are needed for pretty much any major at any school.

I am very determined to succeed at this. I blew off 4 years of HS, and this is the first time ever school has not only looked like fun, but I am serious about it. I may end up dropping one or two classes, but I need to see for myself if I can do a full load. Worse comes to worse I end up taking 2 instead of 4.

This is excited for me. It is the first time in my life I have really taken a step to my future. Failure is not an option, I won't let myself give up or take the easy way out. I have made a commitment, and so has my family to support me in this.

I hope it goes well, so many Aspie College Horror Stories

Wish me luck. Or don't.

I just finished my second day of college and I will regurgitate the excellent advice given me , make an appointment with disability sevices before starting classes. I had my appointment today they have so many things they can do to help you I get extended testing time in a quiet room , a note taker, assisted listening device (for audio processing disorder) , They are even considering disconnecting the light above my desk as we are in a fixed room for this program. Every little bit counts you can specify your needs without specifying your disability your teacher just gets a synopsis to follow.

I know, I know... I just. Sigh, this brings up an issue.

First I will note I have a family friend who has known me my whole life, is a professional educator with a PHD who works with kids with special needs. She is wonderful, and takes a truly different approach when working with kids who have "issues" that works better then any of the other 40 professionals or so I have encountered. She is, along with my family, one of my biggest advocates, supporters, advice givers, friends, and a really good person to talk to. She is pushing for me to succeed all the way, and has made appointments to help get me set up with disability services before class starts. Without her I would be in a very different place perhaps.

Now, back to the issue:

Pride.

Yes, of all the things. One reason I refuse "help" (or have for so long) is pride. I don't care if I am an Aspie. I don't care if I need the help (older view). I am determined, at this point, to succeed as anyone else would.

Now, I am not opposed to help. I was, but thats the old me. If I need extra support, I will take it. I will not however use it if I don't need it, or to make myself more.... "comfortable", then any other student.

I will not ask for sensory aids. I will not ask for a note taker/class aid. I have had those before. Sometimes they help, but socially they messed up my life even more.

I have moved to an area were NOBODY knows me or that I have AS. If I come across as strange, so be it. I will enter every social (and work) situation with the view that not only am I "normal", and just as if not more capable then others, but also that I am a person, not just a label.

If people like me for who I am, without knowing I have AS, then I will accept them.

However if I need extra time for a test, or study help, I will take it. I just will not do anything "extra" that will put me in a certain light. I don't care if the assumptions made about that are false or not.

I will not try to be somebody else, just me. I will also not do anything more to give me an image I detest. If I suffer for this, so be it.

This is a fresh start for me. I will see it through, and I will not f**k up like I have the last 10 years of my life.

I truely understand your position before I had children allowing someone to help me was unthinkable it was me against the world. When I graduated highschool I didnt have the benifit of a diagnosis and blew a scholarship because of that , but in retrospect I realize college may not have worked because it is a completely different set of rules than highschool and I wouldnt have made it without asking for help. You are an adult and accountable for yourself that also means knowing when there are small tricks that can help you succeed and USING THEM, the disability assistance in college is completely confidencial the notetaker doesnt even know who the notes are for. You will be seen as a little different , I appear normal and have good hygene but I was the pokerfaced twitchy one in the back of the room I simply explained that " I have a neurological problem and I may not be expressive or look at your face" no one needed to know I was autistic not even the teachers are told by disability services. You are so lucky to start out knowing your disability and having support if I had these benifits I would have had a phd by now , dont let your pride get in the way of succeeding in school , good luck.

Your willingness to try to stand on your own two feet as much as possible is very admirable. Also, the fact that you acknowledge that you might have a bit of a pride issue demonstrates a self-awareness that not many young adults your age possess.

And of course, Congratulations and Good Luck!! what an exciting time! Just wondering, which school will you be attending: community college or university or other?

Thanks. I have reason to want to do this.

ilivinamushroom - I am not going to decline help if I need it, but I am not going to use it unless I do. I see the advantage of help and will even admit at times I need it. Not taking it is my own thing.

It may not make sense, but I guess one big thing that drives me is anger. I am not a violent person or anything, and I am not even mad at others. I have an inate rage to myself. I am furious with myself at many levels and for different reasons, both academic and social. I have made mistakes I will not allow to be repeated. If I have to break routine, struggle, cry, and push myself, so be it. I will not fail this. I may struggle and have a hard time at points, but I will do this. If for nothing else just because of a strange fury.

Congrats on the scores. I too am going to school. I love it. I also go to a community college and am going for an associates in Histology technician. I see my Asperger's as a great strength rather than a weakness. It is the reason why I hyper-focus on my studying, am a perfectionist about my grades (though it can lead to an obsession, which I am working on to fix), and why the only thing that is important in my life is my schooling. This past semster was my hardest semster in my college career(I made it that way). I took Human Anatomy(got an A), basic chemistry skills (got an a-), algebra 2 for technology (got an a-), and English comp. 1(got a B+). I have a GPA of 3.7. I only get accommodations for noise and separate testing space in the class, but my disability services is awesome. They do not disclose any disability,only if you want them too. My teachers are awesome and were very understanding, encouraging, lots of positive reinforcement and praises. I love them so much and I miss them. I am very excited about going back on the 25th. I am hating the vacation, as I only feel complete when I am actually accomplishing something in my life and day. Sleeping in and sitting at home is not one of them. Going to school is the best thing that I evr did for myself.