I am transferring soon, but know from experience that I am bad at doing word problems. I was always exceptionally good at math (99% on Florida FCAT) until about eighth grade when I started get bullied. I don’t quite into the standard mold: I have ADHD, Asperger’s, and probably dyslexia; I live inside my head and am literally asking myself a question or two every five minutes. That makes traditional learning almost a complete waste of time for me; going to a lecture is a complete waste of time for me.
I am looking to pursue an undergraduate degree in biotechnology, biology (molecular/cell biology), biochemistry, or chemistry. That being said, I have severe doubts about the Florida job market (STEM seems a tough nut to crack in FL). If I don’t get a job, I won’t be able to move (I don’t do roommates). As such, I am going to have to hedge my bets with a second degree (think it’s another 6-10 classes) so I won’t be without a full time job. Moving for a Master’s program and then finding out I can’t afford the $1900/mo rent is not something I want to happen.
Also, is it possible to be dual enrolled at an on campus and an online school at the same time? Like it is possible to go to FSU, while pursuing a UF Online degree at the same time? That would make things so easy for me as I could probably get a triple degree in the same time as a double degree (if I could only do it on campus).
@NeverBuyLettuce do you have current diagnoses, are you currently being treated for your ADHD, and are you currently covered under a 504 or IEP? If so, what accommodations are you receiving. Asking because treatment and proper accommodations can alleviate a lot of the “worthless.” It sounds like perhaps you are not currently receiving anything based on your terminology. If you do have an ASD diagnosis, you may have an auditory processing delay. By figuring these things out first, you set yourself up to succeed with the whole college experience, which will include lectures. There are things like livescribe pens, designated note takers, academic coaches, etc. Before people start making suggestions, it would help to better understand your current situation.
I’ve only taken one AP course in the social sciences for which I received a B and no AP credit. I was mostly busy playing sports in high school. I guess I’ll have to take the AccuPlacer to see how well I’d do in Chemistry. I wonder if there’s a book on that that tooks about predicting success in college courses based on the AccuPlacer. University is a whole different ball game compared to CC.
@NeverBuyLettuce you could check out the AP Chem and AP Bio study guides from the library to give you an idea of the type of material covered in each class. They have practice tests in them; obviously, since you didn’t the classes, most of material would be foreign, but some of it should be familiar from high school bio and chem. I would suggest job shadowing over the summer, if that’s possible. You could shadow a day or two in various fields to see if it’s something you would enjoy doing as a career. Many colleges will let you sit in a college class for a day; try out a couple of different chem and bio classes. Since all stem is reasoning and analysis, they will all require reading and interpreting information. Even if you do an online degree, there will probably be an in person lab requirement. I wouldn’t waste money getting a triple degree. While perhaps possible to enroll at two schools, I’m not sure what the purpose would be. You can not receive aid at two schools, and you can only take so many credits at one time. There are only so many hours in the day. It would be a waste of money. You could look for a school that offers a large number of online classes, like UF. I would personally focus on one thing at a time; for now, focus on good grades and practicing for the ACT/SAT, get tutoring in subjects you need help in, adjust your accommodations as needed and research majors/colleges. Good luck!