Can A 9-Year Old Graduate From College? 6 Facts About Child Prodigy Laurent Simons
The wunderkind will be an official college alum in December!
Instagram When you were nine years old, you were probably wondering what cartoon you would watch next, when you could see your friends from school, or what toy you wanted.
Most 9-year-olds probably don’t even consider college because it seems so far away.
But not child prodigy Laurent Simons, who is about to make history by becoming the youngest college graduate ever!
Nine-year-old Laurent Simons of Ostende, Belgium is set to graduate Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands this December, with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
The wunderkind began college when he was just 8 years old, and he only has one month of school and one final project left before completing what would usually be a three-year program!
Who is Laurent Simons?
Read on to find out more about the 9-Year-old boy genius who’s about to graduate college.
1. He still makes time to be a kid
Contrary to what you might think, Laurent is actually a pretty normal kid.
When he’s not working on his studies, he loves playing Minecraft and Fortnite. When he’s not playing video games, he also enjoys watching Netflix.
Laurent’s father has noted that he also enjoys playing on his phone and swimming.
2. He is considering furthering his studies at Oxford
Laurent stated he would ideally move to the U.S. and would be thrilled if he could go to school somewhere in California. His parents, however, would prefer to stay in Europe.
“Oxford and Cambridge are also in the major league,” his father said, “and it would be very much more convenient for us.”
Laurent’s instructor, John Wilkes, agrees that Oxford would be a great fit for him.
“I taught him when he was six and we studied at the level of a 16-year-old,” he said, “I really would recommend Oxford for him.”
3. He graduated high school when he was just six
Laurent's story is pretty remarkable for the huge achievements he's already made during his young lifetime.
Laurent started primary school when he was just 4 years old and obtained his high school diploma alongside 18-year-old seniors when he was just six!
According to his parents, he has an IQ of 145, placing him in the superior to very superior level of most modern IQ classification tables.
Does that make him a genius?
Most experts in the field of intelligence are hesitant to tie the label of genius to IQ scores alone, the current view being that while "a minimum IQ [of] about 125, is strictly necessary for genius ... IQ is sufficient for development of genius only when combined with ... opportunity for talent development along with the characteristics of drive and persistence," all of which Laurent seems to possess in spades.
4. He plans to pursue a Ph.D.
After Laurent finishes his undergraduate work, he hopes to continue his education by pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, as well as studying medicine.
“I want to study medicine, and do a Ph.D. and make artificial organs,” he said.
We can't wait to see what career he will go into because the possibilities seem endless!
5. His grandparents were the first people to notice his advanced intelligence
Laurent’s grandparents were apparently the first to point out his remarkable intelligence, but his parents didn’t believe them until Laurent’s teachers also noted his advanced learning capabilities.
"They noticed something very special about Laurent ... They told us he is like a sponge," Laurent’s mother, Lydia Simons, said.
6. His parents want him to pursue anything he dreams
Laurent’s parents are incredibly proud of their gifted son. And although he has shared that he aspires to a career as a surgeon, astronaut, or computer engineer, his parents just want him to do what makes him happy.
"If he decided tomorrow to become a carpenter, that would not be a problem for us, as long as he is happy," his father said.
Elizabeth Ward is a writing student finishing her bachelor’s at the University of Louisville. She covers news, entertainment, relationships and everything in between.