Exceptional 17-Year-Old Girl Earns Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees Before Finishing High School, Wins Full PhD Scholarship

A brilliant 17-year-old named Stephanie Mui earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mathematics before finishing high school and has been awarded a full scholarship to pursue a PhD at New York University.

A brilliant 17-year-old girl named Stephanie Mui has made history by earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree before completing high school in the United States. Mui was also awarded a full scholarship to pursue her PhD.

Mui, a mathematics prodigy, received her master’s degree in mathematics from George Mason University, Virginia, and was the youngest among over 8,700 graduates at the university’s 2017 commencement. Remarkably, she earned this postgraduate degree a month before receiving her high school diploma.

She began taking college classes after the fifth grade at Northern Virginia Community College, earning her associate’s degree at age 13. After community college, Mui enrolled at George Mason University, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics at 16 while also attending high school at Oakton High in Fairfax County.

Reflecting on her unique journey, Mui remarked, “To me, it’s just my life. To others, it might look a little weird. But yeah, I just think it’s my life. Let’s not call it weird, though. Because sometimes people see the word ‘weird’ and think it means ‘strange but like, in a bad way.’”

Mui admitted she initially worried that students at George Mason University might treat her differently because of her age, but she encountered no issues and has no regrets. Despite the challenges, she is glad she took up the academic journey.

Mui attributes her natural aptitude for mathematics to her parents, who are both engineers. She recalled debating geometry proofs with her father in the first grade.

In her fourth grade, she passed the College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) for calculus, which covers skills usually taught in a one-semester college course.

Unlike many of her peers heading to college, Mui is set to begin her PhD in Mathematics at New York University, supported by a full fellowship. She explained her passion for math, saying, “I kind of look at math like it’s a puzzle. It’s a fun puzzle to solve. To me, that’s what it is. I think people should see it as that, too.”

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, SCHOLARSHIP REGION