Hello, I’ve looked around the chat and I’m ready to post. I have a very unique situation compared to most of the other people on this chat site. Here are the basic “Specs”
Grade: Senior
Age: 18 (Almost 19 in May)
Gender/Race: Male and White
Autism Spectrum Disorder but Highly functioning 99th Percentile on the spectrum
IEP (4 years)
-Switched schools Freshman year due to overwhelming circumstances
-Currently attending a College Prep Academically Elite School
-Current Cumulative GPA: 2.3 Cumulative GPA (Highly positive grade trends: 9th grade (1.5), 10th grade (1.9), 11th grade (2.7), 12th grade (3.3)
-Failed a self paced course due to lack of paying attention
-In School suspension Freshman year for accidentally skipping a class (Learned my lesson)
-Failed and dropped Chemistry my Sophomore year so I’m currently taking it this year as a senior and I have to skip Physics due to that.
-I studied and took the ACT twice. (First time I got a 25, the second time I got a 32/36)
-Final ACT Score is a 36
-I did Robotics both Freshman and Sophomore on the Programming team so I am somewhat fluent in C++ and Java (I also have a Java certification through Microsoft EdX)
-Working a part time job at a Kroger Grocery store for the past 3 years.
-Recipient of the 2020 Google Lime Scholarship
Brutal honesty will be most appreciated. Thanks!
Oh and I live in the Milwaukee area!
@MathmaticalMicah Wow, that’s a lot to take in! IDK if I can help you. You have a shot at UWM. Just make sure to explain your situation on those Apps. Also, congrats on the Scholarship!
Yes to uwm, no to the others.
Considered Platteville? St. Norberts?
Colleges generally value grades more highly than test scores which puts you at a disadvantage.
My nephew, who is also on the autism spectrum and who is academically gifted like you, went to Clarkson University for computer science. He received the support he needed in order to be successful, including managing his Asperger’s. With your academic record and your need for support, I would be concerned that a bigger university may not be the right fit for you. Clarkson was life-changing for my nephew; he became friends with others students who were CS majors and who were also getting help managing Asperger’s. He was recruited by a Wall Street company before he graduated (6 years ago) and today he lives in NYC and has a great job.
If your family can afford it, or you qualify for financial aid, I would recommend you look at some smaller schools where you won’t get lost in the shuffle. Best of luck!