My kid’s concentration improved tremendously after I finally relented and allowed him to be prescribed for Adderall. He used to go to 5am all the time but a lot of it was because he was mentally taking long breaks throughout the day. So getting tested for autism or ADHD might be a good thing for the OP.
You can try asking about testing in school, but I wouldn’t waste too much time. The school isn’t going to spend their limited resources testing an A or B student, performing at or above grade level - it doesn’t matter if that student is reaching their own personal potential. Educational testing is intended to help students meet the established benchmarks. Sorry, but that’s just a reality (coming from the mother of a student who was told “with those scores, your child can’t possible have a learning disorder,” only to discover said learning disorder complicated by mental illness 3 years later - all of which would have been caught with earlier testing). Instead, bring it up with your physician. If you are 16, in most states that is the age where YOU can consent to any psychiatric care, not your parents, and private testing would most likely fall under psychiatric care. The cost would ultimately be your responsibility, if you are the one who consents, rather than them, but they cannot prevent you from accessing psychiatric evaluation or care.
But before you take that route, I would look into a study skills class. It might not be a matter of how much you’re studying, but how you’re studying, and figuring out what works for you. Rewriting notes works for some people, not others, but for many people the more senses involved, the better. A tutor focused more on study skills than specific subjects might be able to help you with that. Take the time to learn how to learn.
@CTScoutmom: Great post. But not sure that I agree that “…for many people the more senses involved, the better”.
@publisher, For kids with learning disorders using a variety of senses can be helpful. If OP is struggling academically, trying different methods may help him process the material better.
Are you struggling as much in your English, history, and language classes? If not, it could simply be that your aptitude lies in the humanities. You may also have test anxiety, which can cause people who do well on homework to choke when it comes to big exams. In any case, I second everybody’s recommendations to get tested for a learning disability. It can’t hurt, and may uncover some information you will definitely need to know before college.
This is JMHO…the strategy that I happen to subscribe to after supporting my son through high school is, “Protect the GPA.” By that I mean put together the course load including quality teachers that will maximize your ability to get good grades. It sounds to me like maybe you shouldn’t be taking quite as many A.P. and honors classes. Take some but not all. That way you will have an easier time getting As in the classes that might be a little less rigorous. I happen to believe if you put together a transcript with a high GPA that has some honors, some A.P. but not all you are actually in better shape than if you have “the most rigorous classes” but a B level transcript. For example, if math is challenging don’t take the highest level but do so in another subject that you are stronger in. Are you following me? Of course this is not preferable for those trying to get into the top, selective colleges and universities. But it is my opinion this will work if you are trying to get into a very good college/university and receive merit money.
You did not share what type of school you are going to. Some competitive high school’s higher level classes are so competitive that it’s hard to get As. I can tell you in some public, competitive high schools the math department is absolutely weeding students out since the Common Core came along. They only want to keep the top 10% to protect their own test scores. Students who normally would have been a B+ math student are now Cs or even lower.
You didn’t share your SAT scores (if you have taken them) or any other scores on standardized tests. Because of this I think its very premature for people to suggest you might have a learning disability or should seek an evaluation.
I happen to believe that you are developing great work habits and study skills that will always serve you well in the future. You will be successful - fear not. Give yourself a pat on the back for how hard you work and feel good about yourself.
I would like to add one thing I didn’t explain…I mentioned selecting teachers would but like to clarify that.
The teacher is often a huge factor in student success. Some are easier graders and some are better teachers. When considering which classes you will take, consider the teacher. For example, in 9th and 10th grade my son qualified for honors English. However, the teacher was a bear who made student’s lives miserable and graded extremely hard. We went with the strategy of “protect the GPA.” My son took non-honors English during those years, got very high grades and then went into honors English during the later high school years when a better and more reasonable teacher was available. His class rank took a slight hit for the non-honors but by moving up later on, he was able to move that up too. More importantly, he avoided a lot of stress by avoiding that teacher.
I always remind students to pace themselves. This is a journey. Good luck to you and I hope you have a great school year.
You might want to try a tutor to see if you can work smarter. It is possible that in all your long hours, you are making the same mistakes of misunderstanding again and again. And if the answer is wrong, a teacher isn’t going to reward the effort…
Are you one of the last to finish the test and are there careless mistakes on it? It is possible that you have an undiagnosed LD. Testing could be helpful. There are people who are smart and hard working who can “cover” for LDs into adulthood. You may want to read on some of the strategies for dealing with those and see if they help you. (Breaking work into smaller tasks, taking breaks for a brisk walk are a couple). Get enough sleep. Minimize sugar intake. Even without meds (or your own, like coffee), you may be able to use your time better. You may want to look at some of the techniques in the book "that crumpled piece of paper was due last week ". You have the diligence to do the work - you owe it to yourself to make it effective.
And yes, talk to your teachers. If you do practice problems as ND get several wrong and can’t figure out why, stop by and ask.