A semi-french-twist type of deal might work too. Or a partial french braid-- just the top/front.

Unfortunately, yes. A baccalaureate in a natural science or engineering discipline is a baseline requirement for one goal, and I haven't got the "paperwork" for moving straight into a grad program. I would get to skip the "gen ed" stuff for the most part, though. Unless there's a magic program that would let me sort of "back in to it" where by hitting the pre-reqs for the grad program, I end up earning the BSc too since I'd already have the gen eds done from a first degree and they'd likely cover everything in that list. (Being a registered 2nd degree student would also make the paperwork easier, the only real difference is you can't 2nd-degree into a couple of programs that I'm not interested in anyway and no honors college [but honors in department is available]).

Again, in the interest of anonymity, I'm going to be somewhat vague-- I'm not dismissing your advice or trying to avoid stuff. (OMG this is so long, I am so sorry.) I think some of the dissonance is this idea that I was given when I was little that college would be sooo different from grade school, like overall everything would be (you know, "just put up and shut up, you get your reward when you graduate"). It's not, but there are more/bigger differences if you know where to look. I don't know if I'm explaining that well. Like I said, I'm feeling a little whiny and fragile and trying to sort this out!! Thank you: for your responses, advice, and understanding. "Frustration was the first rung in my ladder, resignation was the last." is an amazing way to put it. It's like I'm climbing the ladder again now. Also what dmettler said about the herp conferences-- I have some opportunities to work with people who are obsessed with the same things I am. I get to nerd out and tell really dumb jokes and advance knowledge and eat pizza. It's pretty great. Selectiveness: likely true, although I have experience with the population of a much more selective school than mine and I'm unimpressed. :/ In any case, I now have a complicated academic background for a few reasons-- the fancy schools won't take me, I don't think. School "fit": definitely true. Although for where I was when I got here, it's been really good for me in other ways. The "next" program: will be STEM-focused, although I may try adding in some minors in other areas. I will likely stay at this school, or a similar one that's nearby. My current situation requires that cost and distance be primary considerations for this phase, so that selectivity/strength can be one for the next step. The honors program is only for the first 2 years and pretty much only covers general education courses (I'd asked about them previously). We do have some research opportunities (mostly STEM) and I may be able to wiggle into some of them even now. Ownership: Absolutely. I've been keeping a "list to look up later" since I was young. It's time to knock down some walls (figuratively!) and go see those subject-matter experts, even just for a recommendation of where to go from here. Talking to those who might be able to shift around the syllabus is also an option. I sort of think that they're surprised by someone who wants "more"... at least going by some of the looks I get when I ask questions! Adding on: Yes. I volunteer, I have hobbies, I'm working on a project with a pretty big name in the field, I work (although not in a field of interest). I do think I could do more, though. It's like when you first start exercising and the first five minutes are exhausting, you have to keep adding more to stop being tired. Thank you all again. I don't really have anyone IRL to hash this out with (and maybe it's helpful to someone else down the road?). I'm so close to the situation that it's sometimes hard to see it all clearly without someone else looking at it too.

Thank you all for your responses. It's given me some things to think about. Please prepare for the wall o' text ahead. [but please don't quote it?] I was one of the "unserved" gifted kids and I've found college to be much the same as grade school was. I'll be undertaking a second degree in the next year or so which will require "starting over", and I want to take the time to sort of "reset" as I finish this program before starting that one to "get my head in the right place." I think the differences between myself and others at my school are generally assumed to be an age or program difference by most, which certainly adds dimensions, but scarcely tell the whole story. (As a note-- I read through "Gifted Grownups" on a suggestion I found by lurking, parts of it read like my biography...) I blessedly have an instructor this term, who does not know my background per se, but understands that I work much differently from other people in the course, and has remarked upon my work positively. It's a little unsettling, but quite welcome! I'd like to remain as anonymous as possible, but if it is curious why I am "just now" going through this, I had a concussion/TBI several years ago and was symptomatic for a year and a half after, with what appeared to me deficits in functioning. It's been resolved for a while, but I've only recently accepted that I am just the same as I ever was, and that perhaps I now have the time and space to engage in what I really need/want, rather than sort of limping along in the system. (And as a last word-- I grew up as the only person like me I knew, or that anyone I knew did. This board has helped prove to me that I'm not alone, and that has been immeasurably comforting, regardless of how different our experiences might be.)

Possibly a bit whiny. I've been figuring some things out lately and I'm a little fragile. This is for the gifted grown ups and the kids. What's your best/favourite coping/adjustment strategy for having to stay in a "regular" classroom where there is no differentiation? How do you battle the disengagement and frustration of being in a very different space from everyone else? It's applicable across grade levels but for homeschoolers, college is when it starts smacking you in the face again.

OMG That's it! The school refusal one. Thank you so much! :)

Hi. I usually lurk, but I've found these forums really helpful for answering some gifted/education/homeschool questions. I recently ran across a thread wherein someone recounted an example story of what public school in an undifferentiated classroom was like for a gifted student, and now I can't find it for the life of me. The gist was about frustrating it was to "already know everything" because of the student's ease of picking things up, and why were Kim and Rachel (I believe those were the names) pretending to be learning, why were they faking asking all these questions... and then suddenly realising not everyone worked the same way as the poster. It was a fantastic summary of the process and I'd like to save it to refer to... Any ideas? I've searched the forums both through its function and Google but to no avail. Thanks!