Studying a university career represents a very important achievement for many people, since it is not easy and requires sacrifice, effort and dedication. Sure, there are people for whom it’s a little easier or a little harder, but overall, it’s an achievement worth celebrating.
If getting a college degree is an incredible achievement and the pride of so many people, imagine getting five! This is the reality of Jack Rico, a young man who just got his fifth college degree. The most incredible thing is that Jack is barely 15 years old.
Oddly enough, Jack’s story began when he failed third year of elementary school. His parents sensed that something was wrong and decided that it was better for Jack to study at home. This turned out to be an excellent option, since they discovered the insatiable curiosity of his son. They soon realized that Jack’s intellect had completely surpassed them, as his mother stated in an interview:
At 11 he was smarter than me and knew I had given him everything I had and probably needed better teachers.
The youngest graduate
Jack then entered a community college (Fullerton College) and earned his associate’s degrees in History, Social Science, Arts, and Human Expression and Social Behavior, all of them between the ages of 11 and 13, making him the graduate youngest in the history of this institution.
Already with four associate degrees in his bag, he got a scholarship to study History at the University of Las Vegas (UNLV), from where he graduated a few weeks ago and also became the youngest graduate of this institution. Jack says that everyone always treated him like another student, both at Fullerton and at UNLV.
Every once in a while, I get a shocking reaction from someone, but most of my classmates really accept me. They don’t treat me like a child, they treat me like an equal.
“No child is the same”
If he hadn’t chosen to homeschool him, Jack wouldn’t have five degrees before he was even of age. That is why Jack has highlighted the importance of evaluating what is the best option for each child, since not all are the same: there are those who benefit a lot from a traditional education in a school, but there are also people who simply will not prosper in this environment and there must be alternatives for them.
No child is the same, in the sense that some children thrive in a public school setting; others thrive in a homeschool environment and I feel it should be the child’s choice. They should investigate what is best for them and their education.
Regarding his plans for the future, Jack thinks that he has not finished his education yet and although he is not sure what exactly is next, he does want to continue learning and discovering new interests.
I want to get my master’s degree, but I don’t know what I want to go into, I don’t want to do a master’s degree in history, so I want to sign up for some courses, discover some of my other interests, and see what I want to do with my master’s degree.