California prodigy: 10‑year-old becomes youngest college grad
10-year-old Alisa Perales is about to graduate from college in California with two degrees. She is the youngest graduate of this institution. Her father admits she began her education at the age of one. Within a year, she could read. Now, she is keen to expand her knowledge in artificial intelligence.
Key information
- Alisa Perales started studying when she was 8.
- She will graduate from Crafton Hills College with two degrees.
- She plans a career in the artificial intelligence industry.
Alisa Perales, a 10-year-old girl from San Bernardino, California, will soon become the youngest graduate of Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa. She began her education at this college at just 8 years old. She is now nearing her eleventh birthday and is set to graduate with two degrees—one in mathematics and one in science, according to Fox News.
Alisa is poised to be the college's youngest graduate. Her GPA is nearly 4.0. She was homeschooled and stresses that her father encouraged her to work diligently and achieve excellent results. She would normally be in the fifth grade at this stage.
Rafael, Alisa's father, mentioned that she was reading books by age two and tackling algebra by age five. Her education began when she was just one. He was able to stay at home with her and fully dedicate his time due to an inherited estate. He told ABC7News that they worked from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and did this six days a week.
It’s very fun to me. It’s almost as fun as playing outside or riding a bike or doing whatever. I just enjoy learning. There’s so many interesting things out there - said Alisa, quoted by Fox News.
Rafael Perales escorted his daughter to classes each day. He claims people often mistook him for the student and thought he had to bring her to college. They were surprised when they discovered the truth.
We've had some challenges finding friends, because it's not like she can go to school and play with her friends like an average 10-year-old. We've had to go out of our way - stated Rafael, quoted by ABC7News.
Alisa has no intention of resting on her achievements. She plans to continue her education and develop her skills in artificial intelligence. She hopes to attend Stanford University in the future. Previously, she used her political science thesis to file a federal lawsuit challenging youth voting rights.
