Not exactly the best at academics...should I proceed?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>School has always been a struggle for me because I have significant difficulties focusing/processing tasks quickly and consistently. My "least worst" subject throughout school has probably been math but I never took any advanced math and always had to spend 3-6+ times longer on any work than others. I would obsessively check for errors, which I would often find, so I got by in regular level math/sci okay with some tutoring as well. I'm was even worse at reading, history, etc. - anything requiring heavy reading (so writing about stuff I know & speech class weren't as difficult). </p>

<p>Anyway, I guess you might say I'm a bit slow to understand and make a lot of careless errors usually due to my lack of uninterrupted concentration (I have ADD and OCD). What should I consider here? Would I be pretty much committing suicide by going in for an undergrad in an engineering field? I guess you could say I have the personality for it (ISTJ-very detailed and meticulous) but I've never been able to focus very well on anything requiring sustained attention or fast processing (conversation (besides on a topic I'm very knowledgable about) and reading can be quite difficult). Ironically, I'm also very detailed, which poses some conflicts as you might imagine.</p>

<p>Mostly it's in input problem-once I finally "get" something, I really get it and can implement it. From what I hear, going to school for engineering is no easy feat, even for an above average student. I don't really have as much of an issue with persisting at a task compared to the stereotypical ADHD folks (though, I can get burned out and discouraged at times) since I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so with both of these issues, even fairly simple tasks can sometimes end up taking a really really long time for me finish correctly. I just don't want to go back to school to waste a bunch of my parent's money in a program where I won't be able to keep up with the classes.</p>

<p>PS: Both my brother and father have PhD's in engineering fields, but that's not the primary reason why I'm considering this field.</p>

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<p>You might want to consider engineering technology.</p>

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<p>Also, consider to start out at your local community college too.</p>

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<p>engineering will be lots of concentration, lots of studying and lots of focusing.</p>

<p>so, if you don’t have strong academics, you may want to reconsider your options.</p>

<p>only you know the true answer to your abilities.</p>

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<p>I hear you man. I just got started on my track to an engineering program, and am still in community college. I have a lot of the same problems as you do, like not really fully “grasping” all aspects of a problem until attempt number one has been completed, although perhaps for different reasons.</p>

<p>I also have OCD, so decision making can be difficult for me. There are two approaches to a problem I find myself often taking: Just attack it as fast as possible, without stopping to spend too much time to dwell on the details. Details may become problems, but you discover that as you go, until the main problem is at a stage where it can be perfected.</p>

<p>Or… the more OCD approach… Pore over every single detail for hours on end without actually accomplishing anything.</p>

<p>I think like somebody else said, a good question to ask yourself is why it is that you want to do engineering. If you’ve got your reasons and really want it bad enough, the academics won’t be a problem (school is one of those things that just “comes to you” i think).</p>