How do you do well in school?

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Im 19 years old,I went to community college for two months and I dropped out. My problem was day dreaming. I was day dreaming in class all the time, mostlly about my obsession, video games. I couldnt handle the several different courses that I was taking and how each one recuired a certain mind that I felt I didnt have. I couldnt pay attention attall. I procrastinated assignments and just couldnt function. Yet, here on the forum I hear of tons of you who are doing well in school. How are you able to function in all of your seperate courses and keep yourself attentive to your work. My mind seems to bounces off the walls in class and I just cant pay attention to the task at hand.

What are your expieriences?

I am not in college, but at high school.
I just finish my homework on time and learn things the day before a test.
I do all right, I never actually put any effort into it, I actually seem to do quite the opposite.
Although I have for a while obsessed about getting higher grades without actually putting any extra effort into it.
A friend of mine also does this, but almost always gets grades in the A-A+ range.
Which is about 89%-100%.
I was, however quite happy when I got 100% on a Physics-Chemistry test I had on Monday, especially because I did not study for it the day before.

This is an interesting question - thinking about it has helped me reflect on my university experience and understand it better.

I did really well at high school - came top of the year in English and mathematics - although I was depressed during most of it.

At university, I quickly ran out of steam - became depressed, found it hard to apply myself, bad sleeping patterns, felt lost. I changed to part time study and did better: having a day job gave me structure and routine. I did poorly when I went back to university full time. I then moved out of my parent's home and lived with another, very supportive family and did well, even as a full time student. (PS: we usually don't live in colleges in Australia, we live with our families or else rent an apartment with other students, and then commute to the university each day).

After getting married, I managed to get a Master's degree part time (correspondence) at another university. This university was good at looking after their students, unlike my previous one. I coped and finished the degree quite respectably. Since then I tried the first university again, but kept floundering. They have really high academic standards, but they didn't look after their students terribly well.

Basically, if I had a lot of support and structure, I did well. If I was left to sink or swim, I sank.

I think I have executive dysfunction problems: I find it hard to start complex tasks, hard to switch, etc. I would always leave essays and assignments until the last moment. I spent my time reading up on my special interests in the university library instead of doing my coursework. So I gained a great education, although it didn't always correspond to what the diploma says I studied.

You may need a mentor or coach if you are trying to undertake university study and have problems with getting the work done. You might also have attention deficit issues - quite common for aspies - which cause you to tune out during lectures. Writing copious notes is the only thing I can suggest during lectures to stop your mind from wandering. I did that and it is what Temple Grandin recommends based on her experience as a student who kept tuning out in lectures.

I'm currently in high school, and I usually manage to get As and Bs. I have struggled in a handful of classes, though.

I usually do well in my subjects. I work hard although not sometimes as much as I'd like because I get de-motivated and off-track sometimes. I would say it helps that the subjects I'm doing I chose because I'm very interested in them. I have to admit that I used to daydream a lot and still do sometimes in class but I am a lot more focused in that sense than I was because the courses appeal to me more.
Not only that but I try to get good grades and improve my work constantly because that is my sole purpose of going to college in the first place. Unlike others I do not go to socialise and I want to get the grades to go to a good university. I'm lucky, I guess in the sense that I have a goal in which I'm working towards which helps me to focus more.

Right now I am at community college, and I am working on getting organized, finding ways to get test accomodations, writing everything in my planner concerning the deadlines of things, making notes and reminders where i can schedule all appointments, finding places and times where i can meet my professors concerning issues about school, trying to invest my time wisely and trying to make sure i fully memorize things when I study for a class. My goal is esentially to climb from the bottom to the top and I hope I can make it up there. This is a long process, but I know I can do this and I know I am determined to transfer out of community college and then get a Bachelors degree. I am not settling less then a Bachelors degree, nothing less then that. Because a BA is a ticket to top paying careers and you cannot be financially wealthy without a BA. Being rich without a BA is like one in a million.