10-Year-Old Prodigy Graduates from U.S. University with Two Degrees, Achieves Remarkable Milestone

At just 10 years old, Alisa Perales made history as the youngest graduate of Crafton Hills College, earning two associate degrees in math and science while preparing to pursue a bachelor’s in Computer Science.

In a groundbreaking achievement, a brilliant 10-year-old girl named Alisa Perales has made history as the youngest-ever graduate of Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, California. 

Residing in San Bernardino, Alisa completed her studies with not one but two associate degrees in mathematics and sciences while nearly attaining a perfect grade point average. 

For Alisa, the pursuit of knowledge has always been a delightful experience. In a conversation with KABC, she expressed that learning is as enjoyable to her as engaging in outdoor activities or riding a bike. “It’s very fun to me — almost as fun as playing outside or riding a bike or whatever,” she stated.

Alisa’s father, Rafael Perales, shared that she began reading books at the tender age of two and was tackling algebra equations by five. 

Though Rafael always believed in Alisa’s potential, he never expected to witness her graduate college at such a young age. While he aspired for her to enter college by ten, seeing her achieve graduation was surreal.

Rafael took on the role of Alisa’s homeschool teacher starting when she was just one. Their intensive study days began at 8 a.m. and occasionally extended until 4 p.m., six days a week. Despite the rigorous commitment, their hard work yielded impressive results.

“We were working from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon, and we did that six days a week. It was a lot of work,” Rafael recalled.

At eight years old, a guidance counselor suggested that Alisa should consider community college, marking the start of her journey at Crafton Hills.

While Alisa’s academic accomplishments are remarkable, she has faced social challenges due to her accelerated education. Rafael acknowledged the difficulty in finding peers her age with similar educational backgrounds, necessitating extra efforts to provide her opportunities for play and social interaction.

“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 and bike the neighborhood to find other kids to play with,” he shared.

Nevertheless, Alisa is resolute in pursuing her educational aspirations. Following her graduation, she intends to transfer to a university — with Stanford University being a potential choice — where she aims to earn a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

“She’s only just getting started. That’s what surprises me the most. It’s been a short ten years, but we’ve achieved so much,” her father reflected.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, SCHOLARSHIP REGION http://Allschool.ng