I'd be surprised if I had any.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

My story begins with my diagnosis of ADHD as a child, which then led to my admission into special education for the entirety of my life. Only recently have I been able to return to a “mainstream” high school environment, and I’m now entering my Junior year. I look back at what I’ve accomplished, and compared to the applicants I see, I’ve done literally nothing. No volunteer work, no leadership positions, no extracurriculars. By no means do I use any of this as an excuse for what I consider my “grave misfortune”, nor do I intend on using it to give me any sort of… “advantage”. The only thing that I’ve found that differentiates me from the crowd are my maturity, and my admiration of science. Ever since I was young, I’ve been able to “excel” at mathematics and science. I’ve always been at the top of my class in every class. I’ve always questioned the “how”. No one ever questions anything, everyone just accepts things for what they are. Why is the sky blue? Who cares! What is Aerobic respiration? Who gives a crap! I’ve been constantly mocked and ridiculed for my aspirations and my curiosity, when in reality anyone with an education relating to biology or physics could answer any question without hesitation. I aspire to become an orthopedic surgeon and I sincerely doubt I’d be needing such knowledge of physics and such, but I cannot accept the world for what it is- for what I’ve been given! When I ask what Aerobic respiration is, I Imply that I want to know EVERYTHING about it, from glycolysis to the krebs cycle. But no, rather I receive a simple, “Who cares” or from my teachers “Thats too advanced for this class.” Which brings me back to my “special” history. I’ve been taking CP classes for my first 2 years of high school, with History, Math, and English being taught in special education. Again, I’ve been the top of my class in every class. My GPA unweighted is about 3.6 or 3.7 for my freshman year due to me getting a B in my art class due to my teacher’s Prejudice, while getting A’s and A+'s in everything else, and getting a 3.9 unweighted GPA in my sophomore year. With the label “Special Education” over your head, you’re treated differently. Your treated as if your unintelligent or different. Even now, I have to constantly prove to my teachers that I’m not “Special” nor am I “normal”. I Am me. In the beginning of my CP bio class this year, I’d asked my teacher if I would be allowed to skip notes, because I believe that true learning comes from paying attention in class. I’ve received an A+ without barely trying in each semester. It is only now, two years into high school with only CP classes, that I realize how little I’ve accomplished. I want to excel in Math and Science, but My label as well as my past with prevent me from taking advanced classes. For my Junior year, I’ll be taking AP biology, and chem. honors. I intend to ace these classes without a problem. I was able to memorize glycolysis within about maybe 3 hours, and the krebs cycle within about 40 minutes, but who cares right?! I’ve done nothing but waste my time playing games and hanging out with my friends my entire high school career. Everything has been hidden from me, from what advanced classes I could’ve taken, to what things I’d need to compete competitively for colleges. My final example: During my freshman year, my spanish class consisted of this crappy program that required you to utilize more than 20 words each period, and be able to memorize them completely. While it taught me things like grocery shopping, and animals, the finals asked me where I lived. I got a 17, and for my sophomore year, I was put into CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH. I of course aced it without any problem, but it lowered my GPA because of it. It took TWO YEARS out of what could’ve been a proper education in spanish. Nope, Because for my Junior Year, Ill be in spanish one, all thanks to some crappy special education approved program. Even as Im writing this, I’m heavily sleep deprived. As of right now, I have no future in any good college. Special education has hidden from me what couldn’ve been a good high school career. As a conclusion:

Average GPA 3.9/4.0 unweighted

Accomplishments: *******

Volunteer/Leadership positions: **********

So how bad did I do? I could go on for hours about how this changed my morality, but I don’t see that happening. And while my fellow peers laughing at the obvious GENIUS of pewdiepie, I’ll be wasting away in my now meaningless studies. I bought an AP biology book, but I’m reluctant to read it because It’s not like I can just self study right?! If I had a Physicist as a mother and an astrologist for a father, I’d be in my studies all day. But There’s no need for that. I’ve told you my story, I just want to see if Ill even have a chance.

2

A chance at what?

3

Of getting into anything even remotely similar to a good college.

4

Of course you can get into a good college. There are plenty of them, and I’m sure many would be sympathetic to your situation. It depends on what you define a good college as.

5

I read your entire… errr. rant. Why are you complaining about a 3.9 UW GPA again?

6

“Special education has hidden from me what couldn’ve been a good high school career.”

But your grades are great. Correct me if I’m wrong but it doesn’t sound like any of the things you mentioned in your academic life prevented you from joining any clubs or doing any activities. You’re only going into your junior year; there’s still a whole year left to join clubs and start new activities, so I don’t really see what the problem is?

You mentioned that you play games; if there’s any kind of video game club at school maybe you could join it, or if not, you could start one. THAT would be something cool to add to your resume!

“Everything has been hidden from me, from what advanced classes I could’ve taken, to what things I’d need to compete competitively for colleges.”

Unless there was a typo, you said you got a 17 on your Spanish final. Of course they couldn’t advance you, unless everyone else in the class bombed it too. And you know, google is your friend when it comes to questions like “what makes a competitive college applicant” :wink:

And like skgriffin said, of course you can get into a good college! There are lots of them and since your grades are great I’m sure you’ll be fine.

7

Here’s hoping that blowing off that steam was the first step to facing up to the reality of growing up: taking responsibility for your own life. It sounds as if the adults in your life may have let you down, but the good news is that you are starting to see your way forward for yourself. So, let go of blaming other people and work on what you can control:

You can control how you do in class.

You can control how you spend your time outside of class.

You can prep for standardized testing (SAT/ACT, SAT Subject Tests, APs)

You can research your college options, using the key metrics of:

=> affordability
=> statistics match (once you have SAT/ACT scores, take them + your GPA and look up the colleges you are interested in: if your stats are in the top 25% of admitted students you are in with a chance; compare that to the overall admit rate and you will see how good of a chance; ditto if in the middle 50%)
=> fit characteristics (large/small, region of the country/world, urban/rural, frats/non-frats type things)
=> academic programs

A lot of what colleges ask for are actually just indirect signs of maturing (which is what you are doing). Step up to this challenge, lay out a path for yourself and this time next year you will be well placed to write a really strong essay about what you have achieved for yourself.

8

I got a such a low grade because the Special Eudcation spanish program did nothing to prepare me for the finals. How should I put this… I wasn’t exaggerating when I said the program gave you twenty words you had to memorize per class period. The program had nothing beneficial, and I wasn’t prepared for the finals at all! The program was on it’s own “curriculum”, it had nothing to due with what I’d actually be taught in spanish 1. It’s like making someone in algebra take a geometry test, they’re most likely going to fail due to the fact that they weren’t taught about anything on the test.

And the Reason I’m not actively in extra curricular’s, is because my fellow peers are immature. Plain and simple. I guess I could spend my time looking for the correct peer group, but why bother staying around a group of students who don’t share my belief/morals/values (Probably should’ve mentioned that I’m a very philosophical individual, but ehh, sleep debt) who constantly use profanity and rant about so and so, and who don’t share my interests. This might sound anti-social, but I avoid many of my peers due to their immaturity, and I’ve yet to find a group of peers who share my interests. If anything, I’d rather just remain in my studies all day. I wouldn’t hesitate to skip a class by passing some sort of test that proves I have the knowledge of what ever subject I’m taking the test for, but that’s never going to happen. Honestly, I’m jealous of my valedictorian friends, who take AP physics, Calculus, and many honors classes such as english honors, because I have a love and respect for my education. Just recently, I took the opportunity to take an algebra 2 honors course over the summer for credit. I failed abysmally thanks to two reasons, the first being that apparently there were things in honors algebra and geometry that I didn’t learn since I wasn’t in those classes due to me being in Special Education, and 2: Sleep deficit. I haven’t had an 8 hour sleep in months. I’ve been sleeping for about 5-6 hours a night on average, with me getting about 7 hours once a week. The class was meant to cover the entire subject at a “faster” pace. I didn’t find the pace too bad, but due to my sleeping problems, I found myself unable to remember certain lessons, as well as properly learn certain rules because It took me longer to register what I’d learn.

9

People have to realize that there is a college for EVERYONE, you are a unique student who will find one of these colleges and will prosper in the environment if YOU have the drive to. Do not let a discouraging high school “career” be the end all to your life. It matters less where you go to college than what you do at said college.

10

@Ethanvolcano21 you are a tad bit inexperienced with high school aren’t you? “I don’t participate in ECs because my peers are immature”. Are you really going to say that? I sense a bit of entitlement here. Understand that all kids are not created equal. If you don’t like the peer groups at your school, don’t just turn up your nose and say, “No! I don’t want to do it!”. Instead, create your own group where you can target those who you want to meet. If you can’t do that, just learn to work with what you have now. You didn’t choose your world, but you have to learn to live with it or adapt to it. Complaining and ranting won’t fix anything, and it certainly won’t make anything better. If you want to make your own path, then do it. Nobody is holding you back. Things only have the power to hurt you if you grant it to them.

11

I find it interesting how you call this a rant. I have no intention of complaining, I just regret walking on the path that was chosen for me.

12

@Ethanvolcano21 then take a look at my closing statements for my previous comment. Yes, your school may limit you to certain courses, but they most certainly do not limit you to do work outside of class that can help you in advanced courses. Also, you explicitly stated that YOU do not want to participate in any ECs. That path was chosen by you. If you hate the kids at your school so much, why not create your own club? Start an effort that you actually care for? Maybe if you let your guard down a little, you’d see that there are a lot of amazing people everywhere. Sure, they may not be a 100% match to what you want them to be, but making friends and socializing always involves compromise. Don’t set your standards too high when it comes to this. If you hate the path that was chosen for you, then by all means, stray away (which I know you will be doing). Nobody will care if you stay or not except yourself.

13

“And the Reason I’m not actively in extra curricular’s, is because my fellow peers are immature…a group of students who don’t share my belief/morals/values…constantly use profanity and rant about so and so, and who don’t share my interests.”

I’m certain you could find something you enjoy outside of school. If I can find stuff to do that’s separate from school in my tiny town then so can you!

If you list off some of your interests maybe we could help you get ideas, and you could join something for your junior year. But like other posters have said, even without joining anything there are still lots of good schools out there that will probably accept you since your grades are good. If you make some changes now and learn from your experiences, it might even make for a pretty good essay :slight_smile: