Teenage Genius Haley Schlitz on Studying and Stress
Being a teenager isn’t always easy. It can be even harder when you’re academically advanced. Gifted education can be a viable approach for students who have been identified as gifted and/or talented.
A young woman named Haley Taylor Schlitz has reaped the rewards of gifted education. She graduated from Texas Woman’s University at the tender age of 16 and will be starting law school at Southern Methodist University in the fall. Here’s how she did it.
Homeschooled Since Fifth Grade
Ms. Schlitz’s parents began homeschooling her after they noticed she was losing interest in school. This is common in many gifted children. Their classes aren’t moving at a pace that matches their focus and dedication. Ms. Schlitz said that being homeschooled enabled her to rediscover her passion for learning. She got used to the lack of structure and began to structure her learning by herself.
She was homeschooled for three years until she started classes at community college. She skipped seventh, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades. She studied education and education policy at college. Ms. Schlitz said that she wants to become an educational policy lawyer.
Effective Time Management
Ms. Schlitz applied the time management skills she learned from homeschooling to her college homework and LSAT prep.
Ms. Schlitz said that she now spends around for or five hours per day studying. She used to study more because she wanted to get so far ahead. Her most effective planning tool is making lists and using a whiteboard to visualize what she needs to do next.
To get ready for law school, she’s currently reading law books. She actually loved taking the LSAT, which may not be the most common opinion among law students. Ms. Schlitz described it as like being on a quiz show. She enjoyed the questions and the methods used to solve them.
Recognizing and Managing Stress
Stress is a common and normal response to overwhelming situations. Ms. Schlitz certainly had her work cut out for her when she went to college at such a young age. She was several years younger than her peers but at the same intellectual level. She is also a competitive person and focused on getting good grades.
Ms. Schlitz said that she is better at managing stress now than when she was younger. She uses her list-making skills to prioritize what she needs to do and when. She also makes sure to take time off and relax with her family.
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