Laurent Simons poses at the University of Technology in Eindhoven, on Nov 20, 2019. Photo: Reuters
(Newswire.net — December 13, 2019) — Brusseles – Nine-year-old Laurent Simmons of Belgium is hoping to graduate from college this month. However, it doesn’t seem likely to happen – at least not until the New Year, CNN reports.
A statement from the Eindhoven University and their Department of Electrical Engineering states that it is not possible for Laurent to juggle finishing his education before he turns 10 years old, and at the same time grown and develop properly. Laurent’s parents, however, see this differently.
The parents wanted Laurent to graduate before December 26 – when he turned 10 – making him the first ever in history to achieve such a feat. The plan was for Laurent to finish his three-year college education in just 10 months, all in order to graduate before his tenth birthday and set a world record.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the currently youngest person to obtain a college degree is American Michael Kearney, who achieved the feat in June 1994 at the age of ten years and four months.
Laurent’s father Alexander said the faculty criticized him and his wife for frequent appearances by their son in the media and putting too much pressure on the boy.
“If a kid plays football then we think the media attention is great. My son has a different talent. Why shouldn’t I be proud of that?” Laurent’s father told the media.
When he was four years old, Laurent enrolled in elementary school and completed his first grade in 12 months. Then he completed six classes over the next two years. He started high school at the age of six and he has learned over six years of education in just 18 months.
Then Laurent took a six month break and enrolled in college at the age of eight when he became a media sensation. His ambitions, however, are greater than just his academic background. Laurent says he wants to create artificial organs that would make the need for donors obsolete.
“I want to make life last longer,” says Laurent.
In addition to a photographic memory and a high intelligence coefficient of 145, the boy showed that he was also a good analyst. He is quite a mathematician but has issues with languages.
Laurent’s daily routine is sometimes quite intense, according to his parents. He is introduced to the study materials on Monday, practices in the laboratory on Tuesdays, and his Wednesdays are reserved for lectures. Then Laurent spends a day at home reading for eight hours strait. He meets people from college on Thursday, and he takes exams on Friday, his father says.