Academic Abilities

[Carp Veil Redux]

As an Aspie teenager (aged 17), I have noticed that my skills in reading, writing, and general comprehension speed are not quite where they are supposed to be compared with my other peers. Is there anyone on here who has had the feeling of inadequacy?

 

[King_Oni]

Just judging on the thread title I'd assume that you have set a high bar in that you want to have academic abilities despite your... well.. "lack" (for a better word) of some qualities.

While it is good to aspire academic education and all, I'm well aware that it's not meant for everyone for a variety of reasons.

People have told me I'd go through university with ease.. just based on intelligence and the common factors, yet there's an entire part of factors people don't consider, and while they are just as important, people don't recognize them as essential. Besides high school I never managed anything and with my age and outlooks on life I'm not going to aspire university either (30, unemployed and as such cannot afford to get educated; aside from the aforementioned factors which I just can't get to work, perhaps partially due to my neurological wiring). I've tried enough times to see if "traditional"means of education are actually something that could work for me and I found that all 5 times it didn't work.

I dropped those aspirations in the sense of "a career path". In a way it lowered the bar for me to feel "happy" since I'm not stressed out how to make a career anymore... perhaps I just don't care anymore. That being said; while I don't advocate giving up goals, perhaps some people should look at their goals and re-assess what's reasonable for them to accomplish. If you can get a masters degree that's great, but if you can't you can either try really hard and hope it works, but at some point you're done trying (and worn out)... and you should stare reality in the eyes and be aware that it's not for you.

 

[Peace]

I did, until I realized that I possessed an even greater gift. Like King Oni said, we are all meant for a different purpose. Find what you are good at and concentrate on this. Your peers will not be able to match you here. People who are blind for instance have a heightened sense of hearing. We all lack in some area but excell in others. Find your gift.
Remember, most things are best accomplished by finesse, not by force.

 

[Arashi222]

Some of us aren't geared for high ed and some find their nitche and excel. I while not processing information at the same speed as my peers I did fourth grade twice actually. Have gone on while slower than my peers to get my Masters degree. So its not a race. Plus there are so many options for classes these days that you can do a lot of degrees online. I was fortunate enough to figure out how best I functioned in school. I didn't really talk much to people and I just went to my classes and studied in the library or in this one hallway where it was quiet and I could use my headphones to keep out unwanted noise. It took me a long time to get through school but for me it was worth it. I love research and learning even if I don't do it in the way that most people do. I generally require longer time in test taking which is usually provided in college settings.

 

[J. Ann]

One of the only upsides to having Aspergers is intelligence. I Haven't seen that in myself. I'm below average in many things. People tell me I did a good job, just for doing easy things I should be able to do without a problem anyway. Others tell me I seem very "mature", and I don't see why.

I hear people say "Everybody has a talent or skill of some sort" or "Everybody is good at something". I haven't found what I exceed in, yet (if anything). Aspies also have "obsessions". I can think too much about things (mostly what I am concerned about). But, I don't even have much of an obsession over anything.

 

[Nolan1971]

I am very blessed in this area. The school system tested me in 5th grade and found out I was at college level in everything but math (my least favorite subject)
which was at 10th grade level. Even I wasn't aware of that since traditional teaching failed me so badly.
My motor skills have always been poor but I excel in almost anything. My biggest drawback is being slow in functional tasks speed wise.
Lower than my peers making keeping a job difficult.

 

[Geordie]

I have a higher than average IQ, but I failed psychometric tests to get to KPMG and the likes. Added with my conditions, which I do not dare to disclose because I don't want to jeopardize my career, I do ask myself, why do I still have to fill grammar exercise books and math practice questions, day in, day out, with no visible rewards (like a guaranteed place in Uni and a career path for me to settle on)?

If we ever feel we are academically inefficient, don't worry. Just do what we always did best - like drawing, painting models and composing new songs? But most important of all, if you are still a student, just do your best to keep up with your homework and do what you love in your free time, just doing what you love as it is (with no view to win a certain competition, get a certain plum internship placement, etc).

 

[Carp Veil Redux]

Well, I mean how do we find what exactly we are good at?

 

[King_Oni]

Well, I mean how do we find what exactly we are good at?

How does anyone find out what they're good at? Trial and error, delving into interests, aptitude test?

There's another thing to consider. Not all talents are useful talents.

 

[manca]

I have higher IQ than average, but my big problem is that I can't concentrate on things I'm not interested about. It's quite a struggle with this uni/college (not sure how it is called abroad), because I'm not interested in any of the classes... I hardly achieve average grades.

My talent (well I like to believe it's a talent - my obsession) is work with horses. It's pretty much no use if we are talking about making money.

 

[Geordie]

Not all talents are useful talents.

I did do various things - cooking, looking after babies and caring for them, lots of different career-linked tests (Bloomberg Aptitude Tests), personality tests (Myers-Briggs, DISC) etc - I am good in some things, and atrocious in others. Don't these things have tangible purposes?

If you are like me, spending almost all my free time analyzing NFL and NBA (sports) statistics - this is cool to certain people but I have to admit, what you love and enjoy doing does not really add to my career. (Off-hand, I can say, San Antonio probably will win in 6 if they win their games at home, they have to be focused).

Money is a big thing, but indeed, it's not everything.

 

[total-recoil]

I went through uni back in the nineties and very typically aspie-like, I got great grades only in the special subject that interested me while flunking biology. I was very nearly kicked out but my grades in my special interest subject were so good they gave me a second chance and I finally got through the system. Now, however, my entire approach to education has changed and I was very interested by what Bill Gates had to say. Gates remarked that, in his opinion, you can quite successfully get a high level of education via the internet. This is totally correct. It was thanks to the net I diagnosed aspergers in myself. Not only that but I study electronics telecommunications exclusively by myself and feel I'm now far more advanced in depth of learning than when I was doing stuff at uni (using a system then I now know doesn't work for me). I really don't need teachers and if I have a maths problem I will go online and seek out the answers I need (I find other people also looking for the same answers online). By the way, I should add I am not a quick learner. I learn slowly but have a way of making apparently simple questions far more complex since I like to dig really deep and can't do enough of the basics so I have something solid to build on. Time isn't an issue and it takes a as long as it takes but, for me, understanding is crucial. Uni is just way too fast to really get into analysis and absorb information correctly and too much of the curriculum is kind of biased and closed-minded.

Some of us aren't geared for high ed and some find their nitche and excel. I while not processing information at the same speed as my peers I did fourth grade twice actually. Have gone on while slower than my peers to get my Masters degree. So its not a race. Plus there are so many options for classes these days that you can do a lot of degrees online. I was fortunate enough to figure out how best I functioned in school. I didn't really talk much to people and I just went to my classes and studied in the library or in this one hallway where it was quiet and I could use my headphones to keep out unwanted noise. It took me a long time to get through school but for me it was worth it. I love research and learning even if I don't do it in the way that most people do. I generally require longer time in test taking which is usually provided in college settings.

 

[total-recoil]

Who told you you were below average? Someone told Roger Bannister he wasn't "built" to be a runner and he ended up being the first human being to run the sub 4 minute mile. Beware of what people might tell you about yourself because you may have far more potential than you imagine.

One of the only upsides to having Aspergers is intelligence. I Haven't seen that in myself. I'm below average in many things. People tell me I did a good job, just for doing easy things I should be able to do without a problem anyway. Others tell me I seem very "mature", and I don't see why.

I hear people say "Everybody has a talent or skill of some sort" or "Everybody is good at something". I haven't found what I exceed in, yet (if anything). Aspies also have "obsessions". I can think too much about things (mostly what I am concerned about). But, I don't even have much of an obsession over anything.

 

[Ste11aeres]

I went through uni back in the nineties and very typically aspie-like, I got great grades only in the special subject that interested me while flunking biology. I was very nearly kicked out but my grades in my special interest subject were so good they gave me a second chance and I finally got through the system. Now, however, my entire approach to education has changed and I was very interested by what Bill Gates had to say. Gates remarked that, in his opinion, you can quite successfully get a high level of education via the internet. This is totally correct. It was thanks to the net I diagnosed aspergers in myself. Not only that but I study electronics telecommunications exclusively by myself and feel I'm now far more advanced in depth of learning than when I was doing stuff at uni (using a system then I now know doesn't work for me). I really don't need teachers and if I have a maths problem I will go online and seek out the answers I need (I find other people also looking for the same answers online).

I've been using https://www.khanacademy.org/ to re-learn Algebra and brush up basic Chemistry

 

[Geordie]

Just to update, San Antonio lost at home on the last minute of Game 6. The Spurs are simply too old as they did not draft or trade better than the Heat. The better team overall won. I learnt that winners have more will and determination than the losers - this is the leading indicator. I enjoyed the process.

That aside, you need not have a high A Levels or SAT score to prove you're great. They are great indicators, but no matter what, just enjoy the process and enjoy learning - having fun while making the best and most out of life makes things great for us.

 

[ab0698]

I'm great at laring but if it requires that im organized or perpared i fail. thats what held me back. But otherwise i do well in school. I really hate clases where you dont get to ask question because i alway have a strange way at looking at things. I test well and read at college level ( I'm a sophmore in highschool)

In a nutshell im a smart girl that asks stupid questions. But that just all part lf the process of how i learn.