Have you ever worried and doubted yourself, believing that you’re not capable of getting a college degree? Well, once you find out that the youngest college graduate was actually a mere 10 years and 4 months upon graduating, you might start believing in yourself, because if he can do it, then so can you! What are you waiting for? It’s never too late or too early to start.
10-Year-Old Michael Kearney: Youngest College Graduate?
In his early years, Michael Kearney, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, was homeschooled by his parents, mainly by his Japanese American mother, who clearly did something right.
Despite being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD), he managed to exceed all odds, taking the world aback with his incredible talents and smarts.
He not only spoke his first words at just four months old, but at just six months old, Kearney is reported to have even told his doctor that he has an ear infection in his left ear, and at ten months old, he was already reading.
At four years old, he was given a prestigious math test for the John Hopkins program, and earned himself a perfect score without any prior preparation or specific studying for the exam.
And at the young and impressive age of just 10 years old, he actually graduated from college, setting a world record for the youngest college graduate that has yet to be beat!
If that’s not inspiring, then we really don’t know what is.
Kearney graduated from San Marin High School in Novato, California in a mere year at the age of six years old in 1990. He then continued on to study at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he earned himself an Associate of Science in Geology….at the age of 8 years old! From then on, he never looked back.
In 1993, he moved together with his family to Alabama, where he enrolled at The University Of South Alabama, completing a bachelor’s degree in anthropology at the shocking age of 10 years old. He graduated in 1994, making it into the Guiness Book Of World Records for the youngest person to graduate from college, and making history as we know it.
Michael’s Degrees And Awards
Michael Kearney has also achieved no shortage of degrees and awards throughout his academic career, although his ultimate dream was in fact to be a game show host.
While he didn’t end up taking that path, he did appear on many popular shows, such as Gold Rush, Entertainment Tonight and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and left with some hefty prizes to his name.
On top of his high school diploma at age 6, associate degree at age 8, and bachelor’s degree at age 10 that won him a Guiness World Record for the youngest person to graduate college, he continued to study further, completing a master’s degree in chemistry at the age of 14!
Kearney then went on to achieve another master’s degree in computer science at the age of 18. His last (but surely not least) degree is a doctorate in chemistry that he completed at age 22 at Middle Tennessee University.
Is This Record Going To Be Broken?
Michael Kearney today is 36 years old and still has yet to have his record broken as the youngest person to graduate from college. Will this record be broken anytime soon?
9-Year-Old Laurent Simons
Nine-year-old Laurent Simons is a child prodigy from the Netherlands who was set to finish a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
He began high school at the age of six, where his IQ was already a shocking 145! He finished his high school studies in a mere two years before starting his college studies at the Technical University of Eindhoven — where he was set to graduate in December of 2019.
If he were to have completed his studies, he would be the new record-holder for the youngest college graduate. However, due to a change of heart by his parents, they decided to pull him out of school for a different path. This means that Kearney still remains the record holder for the youngest college graduate.
What Are People Saying About This Child Prodigy?
Simons has become a popular topic of conversation, especially in the academic world. Some even believe that Simons could be the next Newton or Einstein.
The head of the electrical engineering program at his university has said that he’s the fastest student they’ve ever had, showing both hyperintelligence, as well as sympathy on a personal level.
How Does Laurent Spend His Free Time?
Although Simons is clearly an absolute genius, there’s much more to him than just school and studies. He loves to spend quality time with Sammy, his dog, and also, just like every other kid his age, he enjoys wasting time on his phone! He’s also expressed that once his schedule allows him to, he would love to travel to Japan.
While they may not have set a world record, these young college graduates still deserve some recognition and a serious round of applause for their incredible accomplishments at such a young age.
1. Sho Yano
Sho Yano completed his bachelor’s degree at the young and impressive age of just twelve years old! He studied at Loyola University, completing the degree in just three years. At age 21, he continued on to study at the University of Chicago and receive his MD.
2. Moshe Kai Cavalin
Moshe Kai Cavlin began studying mathematics at the age of twelve at East Los Angeles College. It was reported that in his sophomore year of college, he had managed to keep an A+ average, something that many of us even at the standard college age struggle to pull off.
3. Alia Sabur
Alia Sabur started her college career at the young age of 10 years old at Stony Brook University in New York. By the age of 19, she already landed herself a job in South Korea as a university professor.
The Bottom Line
So next time you question your capabilities, or whether or not it’s too early or too late to start your college studies, keep these inspiring young graduates in mind, and if they can do it, so can you! At University of the People, you will have the opportunity to study a range of degrees, 100% online and tuition-free!
You might not break a world record for the youngest college graduate, but completing a degree is something you can surely be proud of yourself for, and will always have to your name.
At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More
