Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums College I need help, please.

I like to believe myself to be confident in my abilities, all except one. I have little patience.
I've been in the gifted and talented programs at every school I've attended since kindergarten, when they tested me into the program a year early because my reading level was already that of a third grader, as I had taught myself to read at 3. At the start of grade 9, I requested that my parents withdraw me from public high school and homeschool me, partly because of my declining health, and partly because I was just plain bored. We designed an intensive curriculum of mathematics (algebra 1 & geometry), English grammar and literature, physics 1, music theory, and French, in addition to enrolling me in all the extracurriculars I had not been able to take previously for scheduling's sake. I finished out the year successfully, the only B I made had been an 88 in my math class, the highest being a perfect 100 in music theory books 1-4.
We decided, for my sophomore year, (this year) that I would enroll at the local university for dual enrollment classes, and if that went well, which it has so far, to look at Bard College at Simon's Rock as a possibility for the following years. I am currently in the process of applying there, and will hopefully know something this spring.
The problem is, my classes at the university are painstakingly boring, like the classes at my high school had been.
I'm honestly a little frightened that when I go to college, it will be time wasted, simply because of the amount of time I spend researching the subjects I want to pursue. I desire a profession in the field of applied quantum physics. I have never taken a single quantum class, but when my father gave me a quantum textbook to give me something to formally study, I already knew the material.
I'm not too thrilled about the concept of spending money on a college degree that will feel wasted. It's required that I get a doctorate in order to pursue my line of work, however, as I stated before, I'm not very patient and boring classes put me in a foul mood.
Additional information about myself, I am a 15 year old female born into a very educated family, my father himself is a physicist, my mother both a librarian and teacher. I have Asperger's Syndrome, and am on medicine for social anxiety.
If anyone could give advice, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you.

Welcome! My advice is to build up coping skills. Most likely, you can do different work (or at least thinking) as you sit through a class you find boring because you already know the material, and that shouldn't impact your grades, since you already know the material. I wouldn't worry too much about being able to be challenged. Research schools to find ones with strong physics programs, with renowned researchers and professors, and go there.

If you're worried about money, focus on getting scholarships. I have to think that if you make a go of it as a quantum physicist, at some point you will get fellowships or grants to continue your work, and will at least be able to live decently enough. Regarding school debt, does it matter much if you're doing work in an area you love passionately?

There's no way around the need for patience; simply focus on becoming more patient, and it should come with time, although you never know.

I know how tough social anxiety can be to deal with, as I have it myself. My hope is that college will be a great experience for you, and help you to open up a bit.

Wow! you sound a lot like my daughter and your situation is very similar. Have you looked into St John's college? Since you have to get a bachelor's to move on anyway, it may be just the thing, four years of real critical thinking and exercising your brain surrounded by other independent thinkers as opposed to boring yourself to tears.

My daughter would just as soon test out of college if she could - that might be another option, see how many CLEP exams you can take to just get through it as quickly as possible.
Good luck!

Nik, I am not in the slightest trying to be combative here. I'm a lawyer by occupation, without any strong scientific experience in school or otherwise, so I don't have a real basis for an opinion contrary to what you say. I have some mathematicians in the family, but that's about it for scientists and their ilk.

Still, do you think that for someone who wants to go on to be a quantum physicist that a combination of a liberal arts degree and CLEP exams will be as good as going to a school with a physics program for undergrad? I know that quantum physics is bound to be largely theoretical, but at a strong science school, wouldn't the OP begin to better learn how to fit into a community of her scientific peers, meet a mentor, etc.?

I understand your line of thinking completely lucounu, no offense taken.

My suggestion was either/or (St. Johns would not accept CLEPS). CLEP out of as many classes at a regular college in order to focus on the more interesting ones or because Mia is only 15 and St. John's takes kids early, enjoy 4 years of outside the box thinking, being around true intellectual peers and stretching the brain. Then go to grad school and specialize. If she is like my DD (and it sounds like she is), she is either already or soon will be operating beyond the level taught at most 4 year colleges.

Critical thinking skills could only help her become a leader in any field she chose for grad school - just a thought.

Junior college, or 2nd / 3rd tier state school? What classes are you taking? What kind of course load (how many hours)?

For physics, you're going to need a lot of math. You ought to be able to take a placement test through the dual enrollment program to get you into a math class that's somewhat challenging; the junior college near me goes up to DiffEq. If you already know Calc I, have you taken a calc-based Physics class? If you don't know Calc I, and the issue is pacing (class moves too slow), and you can't get compressed scheduling (I can get 4-week classes that cover 16 weeks of material, for instance), do the math through EPGY, which is all self-paced.

Are you already doing the MIT classes (here: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/) as part of your homeschooling? Did the Quantum Physics classes there (undergrad and/or grad) keep you busy?

I think the only sure thing to do is visit a few possible colleges and sit in on their classrooms and see if the fit is right.

I do know of a few people who skipped undergraduate altogether and went straight to graduate school - in part I think it depends on if you are at all interested in a broad range of topics, or more of a focused interest person.

Then there is the question of 'finding one's people' - some people enjoy college for the social connections. That isn't so important to others. A friend of mine recently found his 'people' at age 60.

If you are under the age of 18, I would apply for the Davidson Young Scholar's Program. With or without them, I would try to find a mentor at a top level university in your field of interest so that you could have someone to talk to about topics you appreciate. The mentor can help guide you to a school where you can take graduate level classes as an undergraduate if that is where you actually need to be.

Are there any Universities within commuting distance of your home, or any close relatives' homes?

Have you looked at Davidson Academy, or their summer program 'THINK?'

What do you do for fun in the summer time?

Please post more and let us know how things are going.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I would try to find a real full-time university and go to college. I understand you don't want to invest in college if it is just more of the same, but what you have been exposed to so far doesn't count. I had a similar experience and had ridiculously easy local college classes, and it wasn't until I went to university that I was challenged. Like one of the other posters mentioned, visit colleges and sit in on a class or two to make sure it is a good fit. Also, when I went away to college, I met like-minded people that I never knew existed. Nan

My advice is that much as it sucks, you need to get used to being bored. Ask your father how much of his day is boring, especially when he has to go to a talk or colloquium. That is what it will be like if you do end up with a job.

That's just life when you're living as an adult rather than a child who is constantly entertained. As an adult you have to clean the house, look after kids, prepare meals, stand in line at the post office, etc. None of which are mentally stimulating. Have you ever done yoga? it's a great way to learn how to be in the moment, and find interest and joy in whatever you're doing.

One thing you might not have realised about university level classes is that the system is easy to game (external study more so than internal study). You can do very well by not going to lectures (attendance is not taken), and by simply reading through the textbooks, doing whatever assignments are needed and sitting the exam. If you like, take the textbooks and read them in class.

Grad schools for physics pay you, rather than having you pay them. And as a female, if Mia is any good she'll have her pick of jobs afterward. But none of the jobs pay all that well, except maybe MIT.