was I gifted and talented

[bedheadrestless]

I was born and brought up in a country where there was civil war. My schooling was disrupted and generally education system was broken down. I was always told that I was very intelligent but now I wonder if I was in fact gifted and talented.

I was wondering if you can help me understand my situation. Here are some of the reasons why I think I was actually gifted and talented:

1. I was on top of all my classes with no effort at all. I didn't study for exams but still managed highest marks;
2. left my country when I was in year 8 and came to the UK. Took GCSE math and got a C;
3. read adult classic literature when I was about 13 - things like war and peace etc. I understood it and discussed it with adults;
4. learnt English mainly on my own and did so well that I scored high enough scores to be considered on par with native English speakers (I did this when I was between ages of 13 to 16). I started Spanish when I came to the UK and did really well too. It was like my brain was running with it while everyone else around me were forcing themselves to learn;
5. I had around 40% college attendance rate and scored As and Bs in my A levels. I also scored A in two subjects by just reading text books and not actually going to a single class taught.
6. this meant that I got into Russell group university without much effort at all.
7. now I am brain works differently to others. I can guess things with freakish accuracy. And can find quick solution to problems. (All nicely used when watching TV detective dramas).

I am now a mother of two and on maternity leave. I came across this board and thought I write and see what you all think.

Quite a lot of other thing as well. For example, my party trick at the age of three was recognising makes of cars. I have an excellent memory and can recall in detail places, people and events from when I was about 2.5 years old. I also was also quite obsessive - able to focus on things like particular books to exclusion of everything else.

Sound like my sister. I have never seen her sit down and revise anything, yet she always got highest marks. She once told me, once she read the text books, she get it, so no point of listening to teacher explain things to her. And having a photographic memory means she never forgets what she reads. She was never labelled, but I am sure she was/is gifted.

I'm very like you though no growing up in a war zone.

The moments back to being a toddler, the almost no work but doing fine, the incredibly quick mind and finding solutions that others just dont see. Reading classic literature, I started when I was about 9 but obviously English is my native tongue. I remember reading Wuthering Heights and wondering why anyone could ever love such emotionally unstable self indulgent idiots. I have been told many times I'm highly intelligent but like the freaky person I am I just think why would you ever tell anyone you think that rather than take it as a compliment.

I'm like Irvines sister I would just read the book and switched off listening to the teacher. People don't like not being listened to though so in work meetings I would again not listen but always asked a generic question at some point so they thought I was.

Possibly but could also be ASD and/or photographic memory

G&T is just a term mostly used in UK state schools. It is rather misleading as it is applied to the top 5% in any school even if they all have a fairly low IQ so I would treat with a pinch of salt what people call G&T. My children go to fee paying very selective private schools (probably because I was pretty bright, best exams in school, I worked hard, became a lawyer , did not take more than a couple of weeks of maternity leave, always worked full time etc and they inherited my genes).

On the more general point yes you sound quite bright. You can buy IQ tests and test yourself. Mine is supposed 152 - 158 and that is consistent with getting university law prizes and my subsequent career and life so I think they are a good tool. I found my mother's such tests after death which she took in her 50s and were over 140 which is not surprising - she did very well as a teacher coming from the poor home that she did and always knew everything -if she'd read something she'd remember it.

If you are very bright and are interested in a high paid career (which of course you may already be in) where few can enter as they will not pass the exams I would encourage you to do that as a lot of bright people don't have opportunties or are not hard workers or not interested in money so don't achieve that kind of earnings potential that they might have done (not that that matters to most people which is great for the rest of us as it leaves the field open with less competition).

OP, it sounds like it for sure. I was very much the same. If you can be top of the class or score in top 1% with no effort at all, especially coming from a different country / language, that is unusual learning ability. Hopefully you were able to fulfil your potential (if not... it's never too late :-) ).

Bosnia?

OP, I can't determine whether you are G&T but wonder why you are asking and what you would gain by knowing?

Would you change things if you were able to determine that you are G&T?

Sprink yes I was wondering that too. OP you are obviously bright and you obviously enjoy academic study and intellectual stimulation. You have a good degree from a good university. Whether you then choose to use this to make a huge success of your life is purely a matter of character and drive. I have known many exceptionally bright people who really do not have what it takes to succeed in the real world and they have quite average careers. I have also known many averagely intelligent but very astute, driven people who are visionaries and have been hugely successful in their career or business.