Stephen, first of all, I can relate to your story. I came here when I was 8, and also too all those AP and honors classes graduating with high honors (and dreaded senior year because I knew I did too well to pass of a lie that I did not get into college). Well, now I know the fears of not getting into college had a very loose foundation, I got into about 10 out of 12-13 schools that I applied to, the 2 or 3 I did where the ones where my sabotaged SAT and ACT where clearly not high enough (and top ranking schools that generally only accept valevictorians and salutorians (sp?)).

I guess I just wanted to say that it is pleasant to know that I am not the only one out there, and that there is someone else that can relate to what I experienced, and not only that but that there are so many people out there. It got very lonely back when I thought I was the only one in that situation, back in high school.

I can also relate to being unable to tell even the closest friends. I have friends that entrust me with stuff that would probably not trust anyone else with, and here I am still keeping my status a secret, god knows why, I am in a city with a very high immigration population, I just can't get myself to go through with it, but I also cannot reason why it would be bad for them to know. It would certainly ease my already dwindling friendships that are failing because I am getting tired of uncomfortable situations around my lack of drivers license.

Well good luck with your med degree, 23 credit hours per semester and full time job, wow... I do not even think I can compete with that, can't even get the courage to ask for a job with my status. I end up working 70+ hours/week only during summers when I am closer to my parents and they find me the jobs.