13-Year-Old Student Graduates From College With Four Associate's Degrees

Jun 03, 2020 by apost team

Most 11-year-olds think about the challenges of coping with middle school. But Jack Rico skipped that rite of passage and went straight to college.

Two years later, he became the youngest graduate in Fullerton College's history with not one associate's degree, but four!

At first glance, Jack Rico seems like any other 13-year-old. Like most kids, he loves to play video games and win friendly disagreements with his big sister. But there's one thing he loves more.

"I just love learning new stuff," he told CNN. "I love knowing more about the world and all the different things we could study." In May, he became the youngest graduate in Fullerton College's history.

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When Jack enrolled in the community college, he didn't pick the easiest subjects to study. His associate's degrees are in history, human expression, social behavior, and social science. And his grades? They were 4.0 in every major. It took him two years to complete his studies.

As he told CNN, his secrets to success are paying attention in class and careful time management. Despite his academic achievements, Jack doesn't think of himself as a genius. He considers himself a normal kid who just likes to discover new things.

Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA opened in 1913 and is the oldest continually operating community college in the state. The school enrolls about 2100 students. Because of his age, everyone knew Jack.

When it was time to graduate, Jack's parents put a big sign in front of their house, and his family and friends organized a congratulatory drive-by parade.

Before he enrolled in Fullerton, Jack was homeschooled. His next stop is the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he has a full scholarship. He plans to major in history, but he's not sure what he'll do after that. 

"I'm still trying to figure it out, but I just want to focus on learning right now," he told WGAU Radio. "That's what I love to do."

Congratulations to Jack and his parents. To earn four associate's degrees at the same time would be a major accomplishment for anyone. But for a 13-year-old, it's quite extraordinary.

Are you amazed by Jack's story? Let us know in the comments, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Don't forget to pass this article along to your friends and family!