Considering dropping out of college

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SectorStar
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26 May 2009, 4:11 pm

So I'm 20 years old, diagnosed with high functioning autism. School was always hard for me, I was on an IEP (Individual Education Program) in high school so it helped a little. I'm now almost done with my second year of college, attempting to get a degree in computer science, but its starting to become a lost dream that will never happen. I failed math spring term of last year, took it in the fall, failed it again. Got put on academic probation from my scholarship, got it back again. I'm technically only supposed to have it for 2 years, but I told them I was HFA and then they were all like "oh ok" and extended it for another year, which my dad was shocked about. So this summer I wana take 2 other math classes so I can take the computer classes in the fall I wana take/need because I can't take them unless I'm 2 math classes above the one I'm in now, which I'm taking for the THIRD time now. I got a 4 out of 20 on my last test and currently have a 59 percent in the class. The instructor drops the two lowest assignments which according to my math would give me about a 77 percent, but theres still the final and a couple other tests, and I don't have much faith in my abilities. The way I see it, if I'm not getting it after three times I'm not gona get it all. Like most people with HFA I flat out cannot do anything that involves extensive problem solving, which is essentially what college algebra is. If I fail it again I can't take those math classes in the summer, and would have to wait a WHOLE ANOTHER YEAR before I could take the computer classes I need because they're only offered in the fall, and I couldn't be caught up in my math. If that happens I'm seriously thinking about dropping out of college, at this point I'd rather just have a job, because I'm sure as heck not making any money being in college right now, and not getting any closet to a degree at this rate. I've been talking this out with my girl friend (she's an online one, but we're really close, been together for 6 months and she'll probably end up living with me someday) about this whole thing. She knows that I'm HFA and is ok with it, and listens to my problems, sometimes I feel like she's the only person I can talk too about my problems, especially with college. I just don't know what I should do right now, or if in the event I fail if it's even worth pursuing a degree knowing it's gona take me extra years for something that should normally only take two years, any input would be nice. thank you



Tahitiii
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26 May 2009, 5:02 pm

Just some thoughts. I don't know how relevant they are to your situation.

With AS, you have enough strikes against you. You need a degree in something. It does count, even if it's unrelated to a job. Can you settle for at least an associate's degree? In another major?

Taking two math classes at a time when you're already struggling might be setting yourself up for failure, depression, waste time and money.

Dropping out of school could mess with your health insurance, for now and for later. I don't know how it works if there's a gap in your insurance and a pre-existing condition. Your parents should know how that works in your area and with their employer.

At this moment, in this economy, getting a job is not that easy.



SectorStar
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26 May 2009, 5:12 pm

Heck at this point I'd go for just a general associates degree or whatever they call them, but the problem is its requires, along with most of the other degrees me being able to pass this particular math class that I'm struggling with or better. So that's why I'm kinda stuck. The math classes in the summer wouldn't really be at the same time, one would be for 5 weeks, and then the other takes place after its over with. As for insurance, yeah I guess I never really though of that....I know I had to be taking 12 credits in order to be covered by it, or at least thats what my dad says (still living with my parents for the time being) But in the real world things like that cost money, which I'm not making any right now other then doing yard stuff for my parents, hence why I kinda wana ditch college and get a job because I don't feel like I'm really accomplishing anything there right now.



TheSpecialKid
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26 May 2009, 5:12 pm

Eherm... He said "High Functioning Autism"... Not the same, just had to correct that.

Well, it's an endless discussion anyway, But personally I don't think it's the same.



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26 May 2009, 5:17 pm

I didn't believe in myself, but I did all I could, and it turned out just fine. So my advice would be, do your best, and if it ain't good enough, scre* that!
Find out what you want the most, and go for it. If you don't reach it and still feel that's what you want, try again.

That's the best advice I can give, and I know it sound stupid and silly. But that's as good as it gets.



Tahitiii
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26 May 2009, 5:24 pm

Just wondering. Is "High functioning autism" or "Other autism spectrum disorder" good enough to stay on your parent's insurance forever? I have no idea how that works. Even if you get a job, a lot of them don't offer it, or make you wait several months.



Last edited by Tahitiii on 26 May 2009, 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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26 May 2009, 5:24 pm

I went to college full time for 3 years before getting really burnt out and quiting school w/ a gpa of 1.9

Part of my situation was also math related. The school I attended only had a B of Science in Geography which required trigonometry and pre calculus - and I struggle to pass college algebra. At this point I am going to apply for conditional admission at a nearby college with a BA degree in Geography which would only require college algebra. If I don't get admitted there I will enroll in community college for an environmental technician associate program



SectorStar
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26 May 2009, 5:31 pm

Tahitiii wrote:
Just wondering. Is "High functioning autism" or "Other autism spectrum disorder" good enough to stay on your parent's insurance forever? I have no idea how that works. Even if you get a job, a lot of them don't offer it, or make you wait several months.


I honestly have no idea, or if me being HFA has anything to do with it, I think it just has more to do with me living in my parents house. I think the same goes for my driving insurance as well.

AspieCard wrote:
I went to college full time for 3 years before getting really burnt out and quiting school w/ a gpa of 1.9


ya, GPA plays a factor too, mines like 2. something right now which prevents me from going to any type of trade or technical school if I wanted to, but I don't really wana move far from home if I don't have too (nearest one is 2 hours) so I guess that much is ok.



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26 May 2009, 7:29 pm

You're not the only one having this college problem. I'm on academic probation after 2 years w/ a gpa of 1.9, after unsuccessful tries in geology classes, and I'm hoping to raise it back up. I've already been registered for non-geology-related classes, using a language course as an easy 'A', and other courses focusing more on globalization and archaeology for my anthropology major. My plan is, since I'm already registered for next semester, to continue in college and pull the gpa up, but if it's not possible, I'll change to community college and reach for an architecture degree (a friend of my father's had done the same).
I'm thinking of being a part of the IEP program at college. I'm also considering taking tutoring for all classes to make sure I get my grades higher. I'd get as much help as necessary to be better off in the future.



SectorStar
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26 May 2009, 7:37 pm

Oh god, don't even get me started on the tutoring here at my college <_< At the moment it is free, but the college president who is a greedy bas***d for lack of a better term, decided to give himself a 40 percent increase in HIS OWN pay, nothing to rest of the programs that need it (like the tutoring program) and now currently makes more money the governor of my state. And then he goes and decides that the tutor coordinator should be layed off, so as to if the program will even be around next year, or will even be free is debatable at the moment. But yeah, I pretty much live in that tutoring center when not in class, It just doesn't help me much, it's like someone could tell me how to do something 28 times and I still wouldn't get it x_X So far my only helpful solution is to write the same two examples in the math book over and over, which does help, but by then we've moved on to something else in the class, so I'm always barely hanging on.



sinsboldly
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26 May 2009, 8:04 pm

dropping out of college just in time for the higest unemployment in 25 years = might want to think it over


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26 May 2009, 10:23 pm

SectorStar, I can definitely sympathize with you on your hate of college. Though, if you drop out now, you'll probably just end up bored, sad and unemployed. You're going for a very lucrative degree, so you should keep at it. If you just struggle and take the piss a bit longer, you'll be making $50K+/year.



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26 May 2009, 10:31 pm

I have similar problems with learning maths and certain other subjects. I was constantly depressed, sometimes close to suicidal, and felt like I was being swallowed up by a big black hole of despair. Then I decided that I would never ever again make an attempt at school and formal education, and it was as if something really dark and evil lifted from my soul. Today I feel a hope, a direction, even though my short term goals just include the next cosmetical improvement. Giving up on school felt liberating.

I'm the elegant autodidact archetype. In some theoretical fields I'm simple and obviously uneducated but I have very strong intuition and natural grace, I live through this and it makes me love myself. I know that I will become wealthy somehow.



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26 May 2009, 10:56 pm

Cyanide wrote:
If you just struggle and take the piss a bit longer, you'll be making $50K+/year.


But realistically though, a degree does not guarantee me a job, especially in this economy right now. Heck the other day they said on the news that right now only 50 percent or some low number like that of college graduates are getting a job that pertains to their degree or even finding a job period in the first place.



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27 May 2009, 8:40 am

Zoonic wrote:
I have similar problems with learning maths and certain other subjects. I was constantly depressed, sometimes close to suicidal, and felt like I was being swallowed up by a big black hole of despair. Then I decided that I would never ever again make an attempt at school and formal education, and it was as if something really dark and evil lifted from my soul. Today I feel a hope, a direction, even though my short term goals just include the next cosmetical improvement. Giving up on school felt liberating.

I'm the elegant autodidact archetype. In some theoretical fields I'm simple and obviously uneducated but I have very strong intuition and natural grace, I live through this and it makes me love myself. I know that I will become wealthy somehow.


if I remember correctly you have already told us that you do not require an education because all your earthly needs (and then some) are provided for by your government/parents. Not all are so well provided for and do not have the freedom to make the same choice.


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Cyanide
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27 May 2009, 5:37 pm

SectorStar wrote:
Cyanide wrote:
If you just struggle and take the piss a bit longer, you'll be making $50K+/year.


But realistically though, a degree does not guarantee me a job, especially in this economy right now. Heck the other day they said on the news that right now only 50 percent or some low number like that of college graduates are getting a job that pertains to their degree or even finding a job period in the first place.

Sure, it doesn't *guarantee* you a job, but with your major, you would still have a very good chance of getting one. IT has only been growing in demand.
I assume your figures calculate *all* graduates, right? The people who can't find jobs are the business/psych/various useless majors. The people getting jobs are the computer science /engineering /accounting/medical majors.