Boys with Autism tend to do well academically but do girls?

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I did very well until the point when my executive dysfunction clashed too hard with my very good memory. After that I did very well in the subjects that interested me, and failed the ones that didn't. At university I did well until depression + AS got too much and I failed a semester. Once the depression was treated and the AS was recognised, I again did very well. I'm doing my Masters, and I just got the highest GPA I"ve ever had.

Occupationally: thank God for my special interest. I have a job in that area, but it's only part-time, and will never be enough to support myself. However, it's good to have a job, and it's a good job- I get to deal with people one at a time, in the area of my special interest, and my boss leaves me alone to do my job- in fact, he respects me enough to ask me for advice on things. Also, my students don't expect me to act normal- they find it rather amusing when I start "lecturing" or address the door rather than them, or forget words.
That's not to say that dealing with people all the time isn't very difficult or stressful, because it is.

That comment about AS girls being better off is somewhat annoying; I had plenty of difficulties, but they were dismissed as "shyness"; "Rachel needs to apply herself more and be more organised"- as character flaws rather than as the result of a neurological disorder.

Boys with ASDs don't always do well in school. I know some who get Ds and Fs. Then I know a girl with AS who makes all A's.

I personally feel how well you do in college is dependent on if you pick a major that fits in with your natural nitch/talent(s), work hard and can actually balance academics with a social life.

Everyone thought I was smart because they could barely get me to say a word and I was strict with rules and routine (my grades were average to above average). One time I was even put in a gifted mathematics class, when I can barely even read a clock and can't memorize the multiplication table. Schools just suck.

It wasn't until around the age of 12 things went really downhill, and I eventually failed and skipped school. I excel at things involving words, however English class wasn't good to me because it involved analyzing emotions in stories and my own opinions. I hated writing about myself, or fiction. I still cannot write fiction.

Mathematics, obviously, aren't my strong point either. I did well in science however, because it was mostly learning vocabulary terms which is interesting and easy. My only strong point was computer classes.

I also find it rather odd that I lack a lot of memories about school. I can't remember once doing a homework assignment. Obviously I must have a lot, but why can't I remember ever doing this? Why can't I remember anything about school except bad things? It really wasn't a good experience for me, I guess.

pistonhead says:

Keeping in mind that more guys get diagnosed because of their difficulties by comparison I'm going to say that AS girls are at least better off than us.


+ 1

1: 4 says it all really And not for one moment do I believe it's 4 times more prevalent in females what could be the possible reasons ?

Up to grade 4 or 5 I was a very high achieving student, onwards very low,due to the AS (undiagnosed) combined with very severe co morbid conditions I became a very low achieving student .

I asked my so called family now I have my mental almost in check and about to get of disability what went wrong ? all the signs were their I had all these disabilities where you asleep at the wheel (comatose) I have not received a satisfactory response, do they even care?

My parents put a lot of pressure on me and my brother to do well at school. If I brought home bad grades, they were very unhappy. So I went through school well accustomed to rushed last minute assignment completion, and exam cramming. I did ok but I really was to ADD to apply myself properly. I went to uni and got a degree with the same half working/half mucking around, and then frantic cramming towards the exam, pattern,

i did well (with a few exceptions, trouble with reading and lecture comprehension) in (an unchallenging) high school but dropped out of college, returned, dropped out again, returned, transferred, dropped out again, returned, dropped out again. and i was an alleged gifted student. school performance fluctuated wildly - A's in some classes, completely unable to get anything done in others.