The Extraordinary World of Youngest College Students

The pursuit of knowledge knows no age. While most individuals embark on their higher education journey around the age of 18, a select group of extraordinary children have shattered these conventional timelines, entering college at remarkably young ages. These young scholars, often dubbed "geniuses," demonstrate exceptional intellectual capabilities and a thirst for learning that sets them apart. This article explores the stories of some of the youngest college students in history, examining their unique experiences, challenges, and achievements.

Pioneers of Early College Enrollment

Several individuals have achieved the remarkable feat of graduating from college before reaching their teenage years. These pioneers have paved the way for other gifted children to pursue their academic passions at an accelerated pace.

Michael Kearney: The Record Holder

Michael Kearney holds the Guinness World Record as the youngest college graduate ever, earning his degree at just 10 years and 4 months old in 1994. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Michael was homeschooled by his mother. He spoke his first word at 4 months and began high school when he was 6 years old. Despite being diagnosed with ADHD, his parents declined to use medication. Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology at 10, followed by a Master’s in Chemistry at 14 from Middle Tennessee State University, and another Master’s in Computer Science at 18 from Vanderbilt University. He later earned a doctorate in chemistry from Middle Tennessee as well. Today, he works as a chemistry teaching assistant at Middle Tennessee State University.

Moshe Kai Cavalin: A NASA Innovator

Moshe Kai Cavalin started college at just 8 years old at East Los Angeles College. He earned his associate’s degree in mathematics with a perfect 4.0 GPA by age 11. Cavalin went on to earn a Master of Science in Information Security Management from Brandeis University at 18, followed by another Master’s in Marketing from Arizona State University two years later. While still a student, he interned at NASA at 17, helping develop surveillance technology for drones and airplanes. Today, Cavalin works as a product manager at Intel and is a martial arts champion. Born to a Taiwan mother and a Brazilian father, Moshe Kai believes in hard work and consistency. He was homeschooled until the age of 7, when he finished his trigonometry studies.

Sho Yano: A Prodigy in Multiple Fields

Sho Yano began college at just 9 years old and graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University Chicago at 12. By 18, he had earned a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology, and at 21, became the youngest M.D. With an estimated IQ of 200, Sho has been impressing the world since he was 2-reading early, scoring 1500 on the SAT, and composing piano music at 5. Sho Timothy Yano was born to a South Korean mother and a Japanese father. From the ages of 2 to 5 years, Yano was reading, writing, playing the piano, and composing.

Read also: About Young Prodigies

Laurent Simons: The Belgian Physicist

Laurent Simons is one of the most recent young college graduates, earning his place on this list in 2021. From Belgium, Simons was on track to graduate before his 10th birthday, but was unable to take the required tests at Eindhoven University, leading him to leave the school. Belgian-born Laurent Simons became one of the world's youngest people to earn a bachelor's degree in physics at the age of 11.

Other Notable Young Graduates

Alia Sabur started college at just 10 years old, earning her bachelor’s in applied mathematics from Stony Brook University by the age of 14. Just days before her 19th birthday, she began teaching at Konkuk University in Seoul-a milestone that earned her a Guinness World Record. Alia Sabur was born in 1989 to Julia and Mohammed Sabur in New York. She showed signs of being a genius at the age of 8 months, at which time she began reading. After graduating from Stony Brook University, she attended Drexel University for her Master’s degree, and graduated in 2014. After her studies, she went back and taught in her former universities for a year each.
Gregory Smith raced through school, finishing elementary in a year and starting high school before age 7. He went on to earn multiple master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Carnegie Mellon. Gregory Smith entered college at age 10 and has studied at Randolph-Macon College and the University of Virginia. He finished his bachelor's at age 13 and his master's at age 16.
Carson Huey-You showed an early love for math and science-learning algebra at 3 and reading chapter books by 5. Carson went on to complete his master’s by 17 and began Ph.D. research in quantum physics. Carson Huey-You graduated from Texas Christian University at age 14 with a degree in physics. He later pursued a master’s degree in quantum physics. His younger brother, Cannan, followed a similar path in engineering.
Eugenie Carys de Silva, from Manchester, England, finished high school at just 11 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Analysis by 14, with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She went on to complete two master’s degrees, including one from Harvard, and earned her Ph.D. Today, Eugenie holds multiple advanced degrees and continues her research in peace and intelligence studies.

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Kathleen Holtz enrolled at California State University, Los Angeles, at just 10 years old and earned her philosophy degree by 15. history. Holtz began her legal career handling complex civil cases at a Los Angeles firm.
Clovis Hung started college at age 9 and graduated at 12 with five associate’s degrees in subjects ranging from Science and Mathematics to History. Enrolled through the school’s ‘Special Admit’ program and supported by a tailored homeschool curriculum, Clovis thrived with encouragement from classmates and professors.

Current Young Achievers

The legacy of early college enrollment continues with young individuals making headlines today.

Aiden Wilkins: A Future Pediatric Neurosurgeon

At just 9 years old, Aiden Wilkins of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, is already a high school sophomore- and now he’s attending college classes in neuroscience at Ursinus College. Aiden has shown signs of being gifted from a very young age. His mother recalls that he could read traffic signs by the time he was 2. “I could just read them when most kids at my age, at like 2, could barely even speak,” Wilkins told 6 ABC. “I just grasped it so fast.” He said that later, after taking a gifted test, “Turns out I was gifted.” Although he remains enrolled at a local charter school, Aiden spends several days a week taking neuroscience courses to supplement his education and prepare for his ultimate career goal: becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon. “Ever since I was 3, I'd watch an anatomy video and was always fascinated when I saw the brain,” he told NBC 10 Philadelphia. When asked why he wants to work with children, Aiden explained, “The reason why I want to be a pediatric neurosurgeon is mainly because I like helping kids around my age. It's sad to see kids around my age with neurodisabilities, so I want to help them out.” His mother, Veronica Wilkins, said she is proud of her son, who is the youngest person ever to enroll at Ursinus College. “It's exciting because he's making history, and you know he feels great. I think it's so important to be seen and heard,” she told NBC 10. Kelly Sorensen, associate provost for academic affairs at Ursinus, recalled Aiden’s first visit to campus in March, saying he showed up “in a snazzy suit and tie, curious and eager to talk about glial cells and neuroplasticity-and even Shakespeare.” Sorensen added, “We're delighted to be a part of Aiden's journey, which is as exceptional as he is.

James Branton

After being homeschooled his entire life, James started LSU at age 13. “But my senior year was my first time to drive to class by myself. “This is exciting for us,” she said of his graduation. interface that is appealing and not hard to use,” he said. Branton, who is my favorite professor here. He’s helped me out a lot. scholarships-the Dr. Steven Seiden Memorial Scholarship, the Leonel E. Helen L. of Computer Science and Engineering, who helped advise James. else. Corrina Smith, his mother, agreed. “This is exciting for us,” she said of his graduation. from college,’” he said. career. “I’m looking for jobs right now,” he said of his post-graduation plans.

Young Graduates Making a Difference

Yevin Goonatilake hasn’t slowed down since becoming George Mason University’s youngest graduate with a 4.0 in December. “Graduate life has definitely been a lot busier and more challenging,” he said. Taking four graduate courses this semester-including three advanced-level classes-meant longer hours and greater expectations. “One of the biggest differences I noticed in the graduate program is that it requires more independence,” he said. “The specific implementation details are often left to you. His academic interests have sharpened, too. As a master’s student research assistant, Goonatilake is working with Computer Science Professor and Eminent Scholar Giuseppe Ateniese on cutting-edge research at the intersection of cryptography and large language models (LLMs). “But age aside, I’m impressed by his maturity, diligence, and ability to grasp extremely complex topics,” he said. Despite a demanding schedule, Goonatilake remains committed to cricket, playing for the Baltimore Royals Sunny Sohail (BRSS) Cricket Academy, part of Minor League Cricket. “Balancing academics and cricket has kept me a little busier than I would prefer,” he said. “But I need both. Celebrating his 16th birthday earlier this year has made that balancing act a little easier: with a learner’s permit in hand, Goonatilake is beginning to practice driving.

Challenges and Considerations

While the achievements of these young college students are inspiring, their journeys are not without challenges.

Social and Emotional Development

The large age gap can make it challenging for younger students to connect with older classmates, but it also encourages them to develop unique social skills and resilience. While most kids their age are focused on social development, young graduates dedicate their time to advanced academics.

Expectations and Pressure

Young graduates are often seen as “geniuses,” and while the label may be fitting, it can come with heavy expectations.

Accelerating Graduation

If you’re over 10 years old, you may not be able to qualify for the youngest graduate title, but that shouldn’t stop you from aspiring to speed up your graduation. It is possible to speed up your high school education, and there are quite a few students who have graduated after just 3 or 3.5 years at their school. Before you start changing your course schedule or making plans to graduate early, it’s important to talk with your parents or guardians. Before you can graduate high school in less than four years, you will need approval and assistance creating your schedule. It’s not always recommended that you graduate from high school early. By attending all four years, you have more time to take advanced classes, apply to colleges, and impress those schools by participating in extracurriculars. If you have a very rigorous schedule, you might not have time for those extra experiences. Graduating faster from college could save you quite a bit of money in college expenses. While you’ll still have to pay for all your credits, you’ll save elsewhere, like room and board. AP courses and college-level classes are usually offered in high school. Colleges often have summer and winter semesters available to students. In order to be a full-time student, you need to take 12-15 credits per college semester. You may be able to take more than 15, though schools may limit you per term. If your school doesn’t offer placement tests during your orientation or freshman year, make sure to talk to your school.

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