At the young age of 12, Caleb Anderson is going to be the youngest student to study aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech.
“I’m not really smart,” he told CBS News. “I just grasp information quickly. So, if I learn quicker, then I get ahead faster.”
According to USA TODAY, Caleb began mimicking his mom’s speech at four weeks. By the time he was nine-months-old, he could sign more than 250 words using American Sign Language. Before he turned one, he was able to read. At three-years-old, he qualified for Mensa, the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world.
Thus, Caleb’s speedy journey through academics began. He sped through traditional elementary and by the time he reached middle school, one of his teachers and his parents knew he needed a bigger challenge.
“I have this distinct memory of going to a first-grade class and learning there, and everyone was way taller than me, because, you know, I was two,” Caleb told CBS News. “I could barely walk!”
A Bright Future
12-year-old Caleb Anderson accepted by Georgia Tech University to study aerospace engineering. He’s fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin. pic.twitter.com/HQcM6TIcpY
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) October 13, 2020
Caleb is currently enrolled at Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta, Georgia, where he’s spent the past year studying aerospace engineering. If he were to stay at the college, he’s on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in two years.
However, his parents wanted to find their son a better fit. Now, Caleb has his sights set on Georgia Tech, where he’s toured labs and met with the school’s president, Angel Cabrera.
“He’s a perfect candidate to come into our program and be very successful,” Professor Mark Costello, chair of the university’s School of Aerospace Engineering told CBS News.
“I would expect that he would be admitted, for sure,” Costello told CBS News.
Celebrating Caleb’s Growth
His parents, Claire and Kobi, offered advice through USA TODAY — parents should advocate for their child’s academic growth the same way achievements in fields like sports are celebrated.
The Andersons have done just that upon noticing Caleb’s accelerated milestones. While they can no longer help their son with homework, they’re teaching him important life lessons while supporting him academically.
“Both of us are not rocket scientists,” Claire told USA TODAY. “We had to learn there are other things that we can teach him about compassion, kindness, looking for good in others.”
Caleb’s full interview with CBS News can be seen below: