[tonypaladino]

Relating to the discussion about skipping grades and the such,

I spent grammar school and junior high in "gifted" classes and went to what is supposedly the best public high school in the city, and for the most part, I think I am worse off for it.

Socially, I was very shy until I was about 19 years old, and I think a lot of that had to do with things like spending weekday afternoons on the Math Team when I was 12 rather than playing out in the street with everyone else. In high school I was reluctant to make friends with anyone because I was very put off by everyones attitues about school. Imagine an school where 95% of the students were like the crazy girl who freaks out when she gets a 98 instead of a 100 on a test.

Academically, I feel like being in a specialized high school stopped me from developing my knowledge in certain areas. I went into high school being totally interested in computers, physical science and math, but everyone in the school was so far advanced, I felt like I wasn't qualified to participate in these things. I felt like a [censored] and just stopped caring and didn't go to any classes or do any work for most of high school. I was able to graduate with an 80 average through getting 99s and 100s in classes I loved, like Italian and history, and 65's in classes I by all rights should have failed, but since i was friends with the assistant principal got passing grades.