Not only will the Atlanta teen be only 14 on her first day of classes, she will be the youngest incoming freshman in the school’s history.
So how did she do it?
As it turns out, Sydney has been a bright student her whole life. By the second grade, she knew she was different from the other kids her age. She was getting teased for being “too smart,” but she never let that bother her.
“I just stayed on my path,” Sydney said. “I didn’t really feel like I needed to be popular … because, I mean, I like myself.”
Her parents knew that their gifted daughter needs new challenges. So they enrolled her in another school that would allow her to take high school-level classes at just 10-years-old.
Then, just a few months ago, she applied to Spelman College. At the time, she was just 13-years-old.
She recounts how she found out about her acceptance:
“So, he [my dad] calls me in and he says, ‘Look at the computer!’ So I looked at it, and I just melt. I was screaming and I was crying. I ran out to tell my family, and we took a bunch of pictures and posted it on Instagram and everything.”
Despite her age, she plans on living on campus.
“I’ve been with the older kids all my life, so socially, I don’t think it will be a problem for me,” she said.
She is planning to major in biology: she wants to use animal science to come up with cures for human ailments.
What a mature young lady! She is so gifted, and we know she will do great things later in life. Please share to congratulate her on her huge accomplishment!