Posted by Chinenye on Fri 18th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
At an age when most teenagers are still finding their path through secondary school, one Long Island boy is already preparing for a remarkable academic milestone.
(Joe Petraro-Hyppolite. Photo Credit: CBS News)
A 13-year-old boy from Long Island, New York, Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, will start a master's programme at New York University next year while still a teenager.
Petraro-Hyppolite has an IQ of 168.
He is finishing his undergraduate degree and will graduate in May 2027.
At age 10, he scored 1,590 on the SAT.
He got his high school diploma at 11.
He was accepted into NYU's master's programme in sports management, which also covers kinesiology and biology.
He said he is excited about the next stage despite some nervousness.
Petraro-Hyppolite previously attended Louisiana State University and studies alongside much older students.
They are often surprised when they learn his age.
His mother said his progress is significant because he was once placed in special education classes after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.
She said he loves learning and is like a sponge.
Petraro-Hyppolite said his abilities do not mean everything comes easily.
He said he learns things once or twice before he knows them.
In his free time, he volunteers at a nursing home on Long Island.
He eventually wants a career in paleontology.
If he completes the master's as planned, he will graduate around the same age he becomes legally eligible to drive.
13-year-old New York boy Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, who has an IQ of 168, will be pursuing his master's degree at NYU in 2027 pic.twitter.com/M1OponrXjd
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) September 17, 2026