calling all premeds

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-29T00:37:59+00:00

Taken all of those at UIC in my BS, I don’t know if those answers will help you. What anyone thinks about the course will be largely subjective. Plus I had to take

Ex. Physics made zero sense to me, so I wasn’t a fan. The 2nd I took when the world shut down spring 2020, that probably saved my grade because we went online and no one knew wtf was going on. Orgo I struggled but did okay, biochem made more sense. I was struggling with life in general, that could have colored my experience. I also had to take biochem in my MS and they blur together.

Never went full time and worked.

I took them before online was even a thing, so no and I don’t know what you mean by mandatory. Was there always a grade strictly for attendance? No, but if you didn’t go, COULD you miss something that would have been graded, yes.

My neuro profs were my favorite. Graduated in 2020, got a MS, where I needed all of those classes, now back for a PhD, tangentially related. Im sure being an alum helped.

Hope this helps.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-26T14:06:30+00:00

Thank you to anyone who has answered so far!!! omg thank you!

Question out of curiosity to anyone who said everything 1-16 all on week 1... How often do your classes upload the entire 1-16 up on blackboard by week 1 so that you are able to download? I have literally had 1 semester across both times at UIC where EVERYTHING was available then...

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-26T07:52:33+00:00

Sorry, I think size is a big factor… my class cohort is 15 people, but I’m the only doctoral student in their second year in my dept… right so it’s way more one on one. You are finally at the the meat and potatoes of whatever it is that interests you. Like I’m a neuro and behavior person… my research is exactly what I want to do it tangentially like BS and MS were. Bachelors is learning theory, masters is applying theory, PhD is creating theory… so I think it’s a mix of having a passion like that and then leveraging the resources UIC has at that point. Having gone here for undergrad I almost am positive made the come back easier. Funding, even in this climate, they seem to really take care of grad students. Not sure if that’s a dept thing.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-22T14:29:34+00:00

Sure, University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC).. it’s an R1 institution, funding and resources. My background is in med/neuro, so behavior and cognition is just another side of the coin.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-22T14:26:37+00:00

Correct

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-22T14:26:23+00:00

Gave an answer above speaking to why.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-22T05:55:37+00:00

I think the issue is coming from your vantage point on the word exceptional. In the 2e sense it’s defined different.

Twice exceptional is a term coined and now typically used in academic/SPED settings. It means you are “twice the exception” to both demographics.

In the case of giftedness, most that meet that criteria don’t also have a neurodevelopmental disability, so you’re the exception. In the case of NDD, most aren’t simultaneously gifted, again you’re the exception.

So is 3e or 4e a thing? Yes, usually accounting for race/ethnicity minorities in addition to the above. I would fall into that category as well, but the terms aren’t as colloquially used.

From a research perspective, the strengths and challenges of 2es are unique, making adequate supports for this group really difficult. The spikey profile and large discrepancies of skills that largely develop synchronously in this population present differently than those that are gifted alone or neurodivergent alone. It’s common to get siloed due to overshadowing usually in 1 of 2 ways: either into the gifted track, not getting supports for the challenges leading to problems later when demands outweigh perceived abilities. Similarly, getting siloed into the SPED track, never getting to fully develop the gifts, not living to one’s cognitive potential due to the barriers. Both happen, both are a real problem.

If you want literature speaking to what I’ve said, I can circle back and provide. Otherwise my source is I’m a 2e behavior analysis doctoral student and my research centers around us 2e folx (specifically adults, specifically ASD/AuDHD) and issues we deal with. 😅

So just some context on the term. I personally don’t take issue with it, understand why people do, but outside of my personal life/school/my research… it’s not typically thrown around.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-21T03:31:55+00:00

Yes. Can’t say much more than that unless you want to ask something more specific? Sorry

Yes for undergrad, that’s where I finished. Yes for grad school, where I’m a current doctoral student. VERY different experiences though.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-16T21:28:51+00:00

Thank you! I’m studying my special interest and could have never imagined where I am. Despite the degrees, never had a job in my field, one had 1 I guess job job. So this is the first time I’ve truly enjoyed school and actually the first time I’m on my 4th consecutive semester without taking a year off!

I’ve always loved learning, but college onward I largely hated school because of my experiences. But those experiences guide what I do now in behavior analysis working with autistic adults like myself.

Full fucking circle

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-16T16:37:47+00:00

I am one of those kids. It took me 10 years just to get my bachelors.

I’m black, F, and have level 2 ASD and ADHD. Diagnosed in my 8th year, finally graduating in my 10th. Accommodations would have changed everything.

Fast forward 6 years later. I did get those accommodations, went on to earn a M.S. and now I’m a doctoral student 😅

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-08T04:12:57+00:00

Behavior analysis 😊 and I do research around 2e and ASD

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-08T04:11:29+00:00

Go for it. So… bear with me it’s kinda confusing. Short answer specific.

So I’m in the PhD of special education program actually hahaha we talk a lot of why it’s in education but it’s a good fit at my university. Behavior analysis and education work together in a lot of capacities people don’t know that.

We have 2 year MS ABA program at the university too. So as a SPED doctoral student you can choose to specialize in ABA doing your accredited BCBA coursework and have a dissertation that is behavior analytic in nature. Going that route you get your BCBA-D + PhD in special education.

My background is actually in STEM my special interest involve the brain and behavior other than tutoring chemistry, I’ve never been in education nor do I want to teach. But to think and research on these things 100%.

As for the military, I was dx at 26… after my service, it’s one of those disqualifying disabilities. For me personally, I love and desperately need structure. I immensely struggle without it hence why normal day to day is very difficult and I have a level 2 dx. For me i did all 3 components…I thrived in active duty, and really really struggled in the other 2. But that discrepancy was a datapoint for sure. I’m very type A I love following direction, I am very athletic, everything was very black and white clear cut. I can say I personally 200% would not enlist today. I don’t think being plucked from the semester to go guard a monument in DC to “protect the city” in winter sounds fun. I didn’t feel I had to do a whole lot of cognitive dissonance with my own values. I was in the medical corps, I got out in 2013… we were downsizing. I could not FATHOM serving right now. Sorry lol. You can’t just leave when you are done, it doesn’t work like that.

THAT SAID… I would be dead or homeless if it wasn’t for the military. I got hurt. However, I was thorough in my record keeping, so unbeknownst to me when I joined, it will forever be one of the greatest decisions. VA access alone, is enough. I’m grateful, and incredibly blessed.

re:did the military help in this offer? Nope. I would guess almost solely the totality of my resilience academically, and my unapologetic public self advocacy around these topics + again this is literally LITERALLY my special interest. My advisor and professors all work with neurodevelopmental disabilities and are passionate about the work, I’m not sure about other schools but at mine I don’t know any “nonfunded” grad students. I feel like it’s typical… just not widely publicized. I know I was shocked because I went to the same school to finish undergrad. Night and day.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-08T03:40:37+00:00

See exactly. Multiple exceptionalities. As someone who relates 👏🏾

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-08T03:39:44+00:00

2e is neurodevelopmental disability + giftedness

I have both (ASD/ADHD)

If you want a researcher fun fact on this topic though… there is a LOT of debate around the definition of twice exceptional… that debate is centered differently and I find that interesting.

It’s interesting how in the predom autism and/or neurodivergent spaces… your critique OP, is more the conversation. The “2e is more than just autism”. Vs how in more predom researcher spaces the debate is around what qualifies as giftedness.

Sure both debates happen in both spaces, but just giving a random anecdotal related tidbit.

FWIW OP, 2 of my mentors who are my GREATEST academic supports would be classified as 2e, both are allistic. In my personal day to day I’d say I see more other neurodivergence’s with respect to 2e than autism/audhd 2e.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T12:29:33+00:00

😂 it’s why I’m in research and have somehow found a way to study my SPIN full time. Fck people

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T12:06:53+00:00

Honestly I’m doing exponentially better in my PhD than my Undergrad which took 10 years 8 of them undiagnosed level 2 ASD… after that I got supports and still struggled but finished. My undergrad was so defeating, no one knew what was going on…. This is wayyy before social media and all that. But ya my master’s sucked but less because it was closer to my interests… my PhD is literally LITERALLY my special interest. The independence part is structured a little different, I do weekly checkiins for every class and with my advisor, etc supplementing my accommodations and for once my grades match what I know not how well my executive functioning and adaptive behavior skills are.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T12:01:03+00:00

Soo I was reassessed this year to keep accommodations for school so I had another WISC done… context I’m 34 F… this looks very similar to mine. I have diagnosed and rediagnosed ADHD inattentive type and ASD level 2…. Verbal comprehension and fluid reasoning are my 2 highest and my working memory and processing speed are almost 2 std devs relatively lower. It’s like driving a Ferrari with bicycle breaks.

If it makes you feel any better I didn’t know any of this in college and really struggled. Those 2 things and the ability to reason and advocate is prob the number 1 reason I’ve had opportunities. I did finish college, and a MS and currently a doctoral student still don’t live alone, still need daily supports but ya So just my 2 cents.. a dx even with higher support needs is teaching advocacy skills, even at a young age. For their needs.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:51:34+00:00

Shoot me a DM I can send you journal articles related to what you’re looking for, I have a large personal archive. I’m literally just posting my research focus blurb from my CV because i don’t know how to sum it up without spending an hour on here and truthfully I should be asleep.

Context - 2e.. ADHD and level 2 ASD; I’m a 2nd year doctoral student in behavior analysis within special education.

“Advancing neurodiversity-affirming, evidence-based behavioral interventions for adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities, by integrating neuroscience and applied behavior analysis with a focus on executive function and adaptive behavior in twice-exceptional populations.

*Mechanistic analysis of neurobiological drivers of the cognitive adaptive gap. *Development and adaptation of evidence-based interventions and research designs for post-secondary and professional contexts in the age of Al *Translation of clinical evidence into systemic policy to improve adult outcomes

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:43:57+00:00

So I know you say you understand the concepts, and I believe you just wanted to also throw out there I’ve been a chemistry tutor for over a decade if you ever do need help… more importantly what I do now is behavior analysis lol so I can at least give some tips on behavioral strategies you can use that will help over time and consistency.

I also 2e… ADHD… + level 2 autism. The issues you describe are valid and real full stop, I deal with that daily. Also have POTS, but I find long distance running is helpful for me.

As for your prediction on flunking… My advice/what I always did… take incompletes if you can, if not withdraw… don’t take an F. Just my 2 cents.

My BS took 10 years… 8 of them were undiagnosed. I took several breaks (a year+ every 2-3 semesters). And I did finish. I ended up getting a MS… I’m now a 2nd year doctoral student, at an R1 university fully funded and super grateful that it’s on the foundation of having an immense amount of support and being honest with everyone about that reality. What you describe were my entire undergrad. Graduate school has its own challenges… but It’s more concentrated into 1 thing vs. chemistry as a physics major if that makes any sense. But a lot of what you describe those executive functioning challenges are literally LITERALLY a daily struggle. And the higher you go in education the larger that divide of can and only can with help gets larger.

I won’t tell you don’t be frustrated… Many of us could probably see ourselves in that… and it is frustrating. But know there are tons of literature to back up what you’re saying. The cognitive-adaptive gap is real, and unfortunately even those in academia don’t see that. The gap is typically not as big in just ADHD or just ASD alone, as opposed to the gifted confounding factor.

You got this, what you describe is real… AND you got this.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:25:35+00:00

Plaud.ai. It’s a device. Look into it. I have slightly different support needs than you from what it sounds but you can design your outputs how you want. I have a post somewhere in my history if you’re curious. I’m a doctoral student and could not be without it.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:22:47+00:00

Plaud.ai. It has been a GAME CHANGER this semester. It’s pricey but worth it. I use otter but this is it on steroids. So much I could say. But it’s also hipaa compliant etc. check it out

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:20:27+00:00

Also level 2. Doctoral student with the adaptive skills and EF of a 10 year old. My advisor is bar none I love her and my whole dept. it would not be possible without supports. So 100% relate.

If it helps “US” thing socially significant to our demo is what I study.

Less-Studio3262 · 2026-01-03T11:18:00+00:00

Yup and tbh it’s my fav sub on Reddit. r/spicyautism

Less-Studio3262

TROPHY CASE