Considering online schooling, advice needed!

Hello! I am a year 11 NCEA student considering online schooling for year 12-13. I have spoken to some teachers and booked an appointment to speak with the careers office. I would greatly appreciate some outside advice.

To preface; I would definitely say my marks and attendance are decent, mainly merits across all core subjects. My marks aren’t the problem, my reason for considering online schooling is due to the fact that I don’t think in person schooling is allowing me to achieve to my full potential. My biggest struggle in school is the effort it takes to pay attention in class and properly absorb information - even in classes where I have no friends or external stimuli to distract me, it just doesn’t click for me. I have been tested for ADHD but the assessor didn’t think that a diagnosis was right for me, so maybe it’s just a learning style. I can’t tell you a single thing I’ve learnt in class this entire year but I can very clearly recall spending hours studying by myself on my computer. Studying by myself is significantly easier and quicker for me. After a while I began asking teachers at the end of each class to write down on a slip of paper what I needed to know, I would go home and learn it in my spare time, that’s how I managed to keep up my grades.

Over time I started feeling like going to school was pointless, I wasn’t learning anything, it felt like I was just sitting in class and waiting for 7 hours to end. Regardless I never ditched lol, so attendance is fine too. I’ve just been thinking ‘what am I even doing here?’ Independent learning seems to work a lot better for me. I was hoping that online schooling might cater more to my way of learning and help me use my time more effectively. I am very ambitious about my schooling, especially about math and science, and am already learning physics in my spare time.

I do have a few problems with the idea of online schooling though. For one, I’m afraid that online schooling may not be respected or taken seriously by universities as much as in person schooling, and that this will affect my chances of succeeding in the future. Secondly, I’m worried about the social aspect - I mainly keep to myself and enjoy keeping to myself. If I dislike someone I avoid them and do not speak with them. I understand that in person learning gives us the opportunity to learn essential social skills, like working effectively with peers you don’t necessarily get along with, and I hope these skills don’t deteriorate. Thirdly, I really don’t know very much about online schooling and don’t know the pros and cons or if it’s even as independent as I hope, I also cannot afford anything expensive, how do we even do exams?? On top of all of this, I know myself and know that I tend to struggle with changes and transitions, especially something as drastic as the way I receive my education which has been constant my entire life. Worst case scenario I can just make it through the last two years of schooling using the current method.

What I would really appreciate is some solid advice, weighing pros and cons, maybe some stories of your own experiences if you can relate! I would also really appreciate if people could give me online schooling recommendations, under $50 or free preferably, in the case I do choose that path.

My parents see the effort I put into my education, so they have allowed me to make this decision, I am just very afraid of making a decision I will later regret. I really do appreciate all advice and replies!