Homeschool to a B&M Bachelor's. Earned at 14.

[Jonathan Whatley]

Thessalonika Arzu-Embry and her mother, Wonder Embry, get up at 5 in the morning most weekdays to go to school together.

Unlike most 14-year-olds, however, Thessalonika isn't off early in the morning to the local high school. She's going to Chicago State University.

Thessalonika is putting the finishing touches on a college career that started three years ago at College of Lake County and will end next month with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Chicago State.

"My college experience is a traditional college experience for me — it is just that I have completed it faster," Thessalonika said. "I am very excited about joining others in having the opportunity to contribute to society in a significant way."

After their early wake-up, Thessalonika and her mom pray and work on Bible studies, then work out at a local fitness center before starting their hour-and-a-half commute from their home at the Great Lakes Naval Station near North Chicago to Chicago State, located on the city's South Side. Wonder Embry is a classmate of sorts at Chicago State, where she's a graduate student in clinical psychology.

During the commute, Wonder and Thessalonika study theory together and chat about their homework assignments. Thessalonika said her mother keeps her motivated.

"My mother is a strong inspiration to my success. She is a veteran of the United States Navy, and when she finished her tour, she home-schooled my brother and I," Thessalonika said […]

Thessalonika was home-schooled until she was 8. At age 11, after receiving the equivalent of a high school diploma through her home schooling, she passed an entrance exam to attend College of Lake County and enrolled to study psychology. […]

Thessalonika began attending classes at Chicago State last year and is on track to graduate Aug. 30 after finishing two summer classes.

If that weren't impressive enough, the 14-year-old carries a 3.9 GPA and is a member of the school's Honors College, a program designed for talented and highly motivated students. And she serves as a student senator.

She spends much of her time studying, reading and working with other students. While classmates are sometimes surprised by her young age, they generally don't treat her any differently, especially since she often will help them study, Thessalonika said.

Wild college parties aren't an option for Thessalonika, which is fine with her. A person's college experience is what they want to make of it, she said, and for her that means studying hard and helping others.

Great Lakes resident about to get her bachelor's degree at 14 (Conor Morris, Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL, July 23, 2013)

[namwen]

My 14 year old is determined to get his bachelors degree by the time he is 18. He'll have 12 crdits hours before he starts his freshman year so I'd say he is on his way to achieving that goal.

[Jonathan Whatley]

American student Gabrielle Turnquest was called to the Bar of England and Wales after passing her exams at just 18. […]

Gabrielle has already made history at her previous university, Liberty University in Virginia, where she was the youngest person to finish an undergraduate degree there, in psychology, at the age of 16.

If the youngster wanted to work as a barrister in the UK she would still have to carry out a pupillage at a chambers for at least a year and then be granted a tenancy.

Traditionally, a trainee lawyer had to be 21 to be eligible for the call to The Bar but that was scrapped in 2009 with the introduction of the Bar Training Regulations.

Teenager becomes youngest person to be called to the Bar (Tom Whitehead, The Telegraph, London, July 30, 2013)

[anonymouse]

I find these stories both awesome and concerning. A degree isn't the only necessity...Emotional maturity is important in order to just function in society. Will this person be entering the workforce at 14?? Or, getting a PhD in psychology and being psychologist at 20..?

[namwen]

I find these stories both awesome and concerning. A degree isn't the only necessity...Emotional maturity is important in order to just function in society. Will this person be entering the workforce at 14?? Or, getting a PhD in psychology and being psychologist at 20..?

You make it seem like being educated beyond the norm is somehow harmful.

Honestly, I think there are thousands of folks with psychology degrees that are clueless about life, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

How bout we just let smart people be smart and let the thing work itself out? With the decline of our education system, I think that less harm will be done with reading and studying books than not reading books.

[cookderosa]

I always look, and usually find, that many of these children are homeschooled. I think we should let smart kids be smart and the world will work it out- I don't disagree. And, frankly, if I could motivate my 12 year old (or if he possessed the internal motivation) to do something remarkable, I would. That said, I think one thing we're seeing with the huge spike in homeschooling since 2000, and the common mantra that homeschooled kids are brighter- test better- etc. are doing a disservice as a whole.
Homeschool parents assume correlation is causation, and that by homeschooling, that their child too will be brighter and test higher. Sometimes it's earth-shattering to find out your kid is normal or average. I'm willing to be vulnerable here and say that I feel that way too, and that there is the added pressure of having WRITTEN A BOOK on homeschooling for college credit, that my children should all be graduates by age X.....but they are each people. With their own ideas and lives. With 4 of my own, I've watched each develop and realized that the quirky personalities they had as toddlers are pretty much the same now as they reach adulthood. In other words, there is an innate personality that we can influence and mold- but we don't control. So, when enthusiastic parents see that you CAN get your kid into college by age 12, that becomes their goal. Not, necessarily, the goal of the child. Who probably just wants to shoot nerf guns. Just my two cents. And, for the record, I emphasize traditional age of attendance and attainment in my book, unless the drive is coming from the child. In that case, shoot for the moon!

[namwen]

Well said, Jennifer. The cool thing about homeschooling is that you can customize the learning goal for each child. If that is graduating with a Phd at 7 or normal graduating, it is fine.

[Jonathan Whatley]

At just 16 years old, Stephen R. Stafford II has accomplished more than most of the general population.

He is currently earning credits toward his triple major at Morehouse College —pre-med, mathematics and computer science. […]

Stephen started at Morehouse College at 11 years of age because his mother, who was homeschooling him, could not keep up with his potential. The college student is also a talented classical pianist; he began to play the piano at the age of two. When asked about his exceptional abilities, the teen replies: “I’m just like any other kid. I just learn very, very quickly.”

Georgia law requires a student to be 16 before they can graduate from high school. Because of this, Stephen will receive his college degrees just one year after he graduates high school. His plans are to attended Morehouse School of Medicine, where he is expected to graduate from the school at 22.

Teen triple majors at Morehouse College, will graduate from med school at 22 (Black Youth Project, October 18, 2013)

[clep3705]

What is important is starting college at the right age. Sometimes a person starts college at an early age and doesn't do so well. The majority of observers are quick to say that the person started too young, wasn't mature enough, or something like that. That can indeed be true. But what also can be true is that the person should have started college sooner. A bright kid languishing in an unchallenging school for too long can lose the desire to learn and become lazy.