I'm a Junior in High School, and Ritalin is helping me get though high school, but I truely don't think I can handle college, and I don't want to go at all

But I know I need to, I am very bright and plan on going into the computer industry, but I really don't know exaclty into what in it, and I don't know how I will be able to get though college despite the fact I need to go to get a good job

Are their any colleges for AD/HD People?!

It's not that I really have trouble learning, I just can't sit though class like that, on or off of ritalin

and I can't write essay's and keep them formed

but I can learn the stuff just differently

So any suggestions on what to do? I need college to get a decent job right? But I don't think I can handle it, it's just too much at one time

Go to the college in advance and ask them for what sort of help they offer for people in your situation... most of them have a lot of help they can offer you...

Keep in mind that College is VERY different than High School. First of all, you set up your own schedule, so you can pick when to take classes so that you can go during your "best times". Secondly, you have a much larger selection of courses, so you can avoid (for the most part) thoses things that bore you to tears, and studying those subjects that interest you makes paying attention and doing the homework much easier.

I found the University to be full of fascinating, interesting people, flexible, and stimulating. It was an environment I enjoyed, as opposed to High School.

This is not to say it wasn't hard work a lot of the time. I wasn't able to do it straight through, but eventually I got through. That's another good thing...what you do accomplish doesn't get erased if you decide to take a break, or if you change your major most of the first two years work applies across the board, so it isn't wasted time.

Also, there are big colleges, little colleges, vocational programs, night programs, Jr. colleges, etc. Check them out and see if there isn't something out there that doesn't trigger an initial "mmm, that sounds good" and then maybe go visit for a day.

Unfortunately, your comment about needing college to get a decent job is too often true, but not always. It can make it much harder, though. My husband never got through college and was able to prove himself through hard work, but he couldn't apply for a lot of jobs because they required a degree and so he wouldn't even get through the first screening. He's a computer programmer (software engineer).

Hang in there. You don't have to do it all at once. It sounds like you've started thinking about your future early enough to have some breathing room. Remember, too, that whatever you do won't elimate the option of doing something else.

Kim

hold on, your on meds and you arent doing well?? If you are doing well in high school then why dont you want to go on to college?? I went to college over and over again, different colleges everywhere and all the same result, i was terrible. But now i'm medicated( just started) and that may make all the differnece. If you are going into computers , you dont absolutely need computers but you better be very good. I mean real good. If not, you can still get a job but you will reach a point that you will regret not having the degree. Try tech schools or colleges that are onriented around the tech field. Maybe if you are studying somehting that truly interests you, you might do very well.

I have a further piece of advice that might be unpopular.

Seemed to me at college age that EVERYBODY was screaming at me, stay in school, get an education. Well guess what--I tried and I failed, huge student debt, ruined my life and my credit rating for about a decade.

My advice: Don't go until you are sure you can do it. In this case, trying and failing might actually BE worse than not trying at all. Maybe a year or two saving up money in advance would be better; if you can find a way to go without racking up huge debts, you won't wreck your credit if you can't pass your course.

Clam, but what do you think caused you to fail?? For me, i attributed all my failures to ADD, i was not diagnosed till 2 mos ago. I'm 35. I am hoping that with meds that all my problems will go away, am i delusional also?

Heya cracell,

If you don't want to go to a full-out university yet, what about taking a few part time courses at community? Most community colleges (in North Carolina anyways) offer a lot of networking courses and other qualification courses within IT and the computer industry. I know a few people who've both went straight into the IT business or college and so on and they all say that experience is worth a lot more than a degree in that biz. Although, degrees certainly do help!

delusional? maybe a bit optimistic...

: - )

hmm, maybe I'll wait a couple of years,

Ya meds help me with like knowing what to do somewhat but like not enough to be able to sit though 6 classes a day and have lots of homework

I think I may do freelance for a couple years after high school, just do computer repair in town or something

maybe take one or two classes and just get a though 2 year college in like 6 years, and then maybe go on, not sure

Has anyone here gone to an IT college? (not just like for A+ certification)

Are there very hands on? Or still long lectures and such

Edit: Also I think I might check into changing my dosage of ritalin, I like the whole "zombie effect" it's sweet lol, it's like the brain works without the mind

I have a few thoughts for you cracell.

First is that I don't really see much value in technical schools unless you want to do unskilled and semiskilled labor. That is just my personal opinion based on observation and not in any way meant as an insult to anyone that has chosen this route.

Second - A computer related degree might work well for you if papers are a problem. But you will have LOTS of projects to complete so consider whether or not you have the motivation to do this.

Third - No matter how you approach college there will be papers to write. It's just the way it is. The highest concentration of papers will be in the first 2 years, especially if you do a computer related major.

Fourth - There is nothing wrong with starting at a community college to get your core requirements out of the way. Its cheaper, and in many cases easier. Both my husband and I did this. Another option would be to take a little time to figure out what you want to do. This can be dangerous since stopping school altogether can make it hard to start up again.

And last....Plan your courses carefully. Ask other students about professors and classes and try to find those that teach in a way that you learn best.

I went to an IT college - Toronto School of Business. I learned the following:

-High-speed condensed learning=good
-Teachers there were good
-Administrator there blew donkey butt
-Diploma there wasn't worth a f*rt in a tornado in the job market.

Yes, your bitterness detector IS reading off the scale, you don't need to adjust it.

The person who asked why I failed - ADHD, undiagnosed at the time. That's actually how I found out I got it. Would I do better now that I know what the problem is? Probably--but I am not going to get a second chance to try.

Whoops sorry to activate your bitterness detector again!

Couple of things~~

ADHD is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, thus, WWC's suggestion to approach the colleges beforehand to inquire what services they have to offer is a very wise one, imo.

Also, there are many online colleges/universities out there. You might want to check into those. I have a full time job, and I am also currently enrolled in an online university in pursuit of an M.S. in Psychology. It's been difficult to discover the best time management/schedule and study strategies for my learning styles, but I LOVE that I can work in the quiet of my own home at any hour (and believe me, I've been working on my coursework at EVERY hour in the day!).

hi!
I think that you are doing a GREAT job, already thinking about college! It IS scary, but because you're starting to think about it so early, what you can do is start treating the rest of high school as a preparatory time for college. Start working on finding out EXACTLY what works for you. What gets you motivated to study? What helps you tune out other people around you so you can study?

What different ways help you grab a concept?
I have a LOT OF TROUBLE writing papers too...
BUT there are TONS of ways to work around it.
The problem with education right now is that it's assumed that everyone learns the same way.
I learn by DOING. so talking about it doesn't really help.
I make things BIG BIG BIG!
I once had to write a term paper, and I used a program called Inspiration to make a flow chart outline, with colours, graphics, arrows etc.
It was a WORK OF ART in itself!
The program has a mode where you can print it out BIG - the thing ended up being 6 pages pasted together like a puzzle....
and that was pasted on my wall beside my computer.
When I got lost, I would look at it, and see where I had put my sticky note arrow to show me where I was in my essay.

I got 75% on it!
I find that I can come up with an outline fairly easily, but knowing where I am WHILE I'm writing is the hard part.

I also get messed up DURING THE PROCESS... and forget that WRITING IS ONLY A VERY SMALL PART OF THE WHOLE PROCESS. I used to just focus on the writing part, and ended up skipping the stuff before it: thinking of topics, researching, organizing etc...

Now I have to keep telling myself: writing is only a fraction of the PROCESS.

I actually have PROCESS written in big letters in a number of places to remind me that bigger projects are a PROCESS, and it makes me think of the steps leading up to the final result.

I applaud you for planning ahead.
The best way to keep your cool about it is to come up with an attack plan, and to keep reminding yourself that you don't have to get everything done all at once...

Also, keep in mind that it is important to do things at your own pace.
I've had to take an extra year of high school, and two years extra of university.
BUT... I'm graduating with a double major, which sounds really impressive, but it just means that I concentrated in two subjects. The standard time that the Universities say a degree can be completed in is 4 years here (Canada) for most programs. The reality is, that is a HECK OF A LOT OF SCHOOL AND NOT MUCH ELSE.

REALITY: most students take a year or more extra to complete their degree.

I only take 3 courses a semester, and cut my work from 20 hours a week down to 4 hours a week and committed myself to getting better grades.

I find that I tend to tense up and not do anything when I have too much to do. When I have less to do, I get more stuff done... b/c I'm not so feaked out about everything being late or due or etc etc etc.

If you need/want to talk, send me a private message. I'm known for good advice.

I'm 25, finishing my Bachelor of Arts, most students seem to be done when they're 21. To top it off, I'm going to take my Bachelor of Education to be an English as a Second Language (or Special Education) teacher for primary school level, and that program is two years. The regular program is only one. So I won't be out in the "real world" until I'm 28... which feels really late to me, but I have to keep telling myself that it's what I want.

Keep your eye on the prize, computer science, computer engineer, computer programmer, whatever you want.

If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.
You'll KNOW if/when you want it badly, b/c you'll feel it deep in your heart... and that will push you through all the rough times.

Good luck!

You will never have 6 classes in a day at college.
the average amount of classes you'll take in a semester is 4 - 5, that will likely divide into 2 classes on Tu/Th and 3 classes M/W/F. Thats 7-10 hours a day to divide between studies and freetime, not to mention full un-restricted weekends. Your problem wont be sitting through hours and hours of classes, its more of getting everything you can out of the small amount of class there is, then disciplining yourself to go back and do the homework and review the material later in light of the massive freedom.
College is exciting, un-restricting, and fun.

THE KEY is to want it.
People with ADD seem to excel at doing what interest them and excel at achieving whatever goal they, keyword, want.
1) If you know your ready to take the challenge of college head on then dive right in and go for it. Heres some tips if you do, or when you do:
1a) Councilers will begin by suggesting a schedule of basic courses that
everyone needs to take. Don't accept this schedule, explain to the
counciler that you are ADD and need to atleast START with classes
that interest you. From there, in your second semester, begin to throw
in courses you need that dont interest you. I.E. English, History,
Government, etc...

2) If you know your NOT quite yet ready to dive into college dont be ashamed to take a year or two off. However
2a) Don't make the mistake of not taking any courses. Take some basics at a
community college, about 2 classes, and learn the ropes a little.
2b) When your ready to delve into college full time DO IT, try to move on
past CC to a university within a year or two, the longer you wait, the
harder it will be to get in and to motivate yourself.

3) I have personally known 5 people who got IT college or similar degrees of whom 0 actually got anywhere with them in the buisness world. Though they all said they learned alot with all the training and experience, the problem is companies don't look highly on IT degrees.

4) If you start working for a techie company they will lure into the belief that you dont really need school, they will likely have a chain of promotion that makes it seem as if you can just go up the chain within the company and get a high paying job w/o a degree.
Bad idea; first, 6 years after being in the company you will get bored and sick of your work and want to try something new, but you can't because your experience only shows you good at the one thing you've done the whole time, which is exactly what you Don't want to do. A degree in CS allows for a much broader range of skills and thus possibility for change. Second, college is an awesome growing experience, you meet people, you learn things you never knew you didnt know, and you mature and change in ways no one can describe. Third, you may not want to stop with a simple Bachelors degree which limits what you can do in life to working with tech companies doing the same thing everyone else has done for the last 2 years. You may want to go for a graduate degree and get into serious research and developement, or many other possibilites...

anyways just the two cents of a 24yr old UT student whos been around the block, take it for what you will.