"This is the kind of school I have been wanting to go to for a very long time, and I am finally here," he said.
Caleb Anderson's name resonated across admissions offices at colleges all over the country last year after the teen's parents shared how gifted he was. The 13-year-old genius left the world stunned as we learned of how he learned sign language at 9 months old, was reading the U.S. Constitution and doing fractions at the age of 2, qualified for Mensa by 3, and started high school at just 10. Now, the youngster has added yet another feather in his cap by becoming the youngest whiz kid at one of America's elite engineering schools.
A few weeks ago, Caleb attended the first day of fall classes at Georgia Tech an aerospace engineering major. The teen, who is the youngest student on Georgia Tech's campus, called his first day of classes "pretty interesting" in a press release from the university. He added that although he'd underestimated the size of the "massive" campus, he felt at home on campus. Caleb explained that his nerves subsided as the day of classes went on and that he soon started feeling excited to be starting this journey. "This is the kind of school I have been wanting to go to for a very long time, and I am finally here," he said.
The prodigy's parents, Kobi and Claire Anderson, were right by his side for his first day while the teen jokingly referred to his dad as his "chauffeur." The Andersons admitted that although they were overcome with pride about their son's achievements, they were also riddled with apprehensions. "Have we prepared him enough? Have we taught him enough about failure?" his mother questioned. Caleb's father, however, firmly believes his son has what it takes to excel at whatever he puts his mind to. "He's willing to be stretched. He knows how to get back from a punch... and continues to strive."
Caleb Anderson at 13 years old is a sophomore at Georgia Tech College! At 9 months old, Caleb learned sign language. He was reading at 1 year old. By 2 years old, he was doing fractions. At 3 years old, he qualified for Mensa. He's now an aerospace engineering major! ๐บ๐ธ pic.twitter.com/PzkfgN6Qwq
โ Brunell Donald-Kyei (@brunelldonald) September 14, 2021
Caleb understands that as a young African American boy, it falls to him to be a positive and inspirational influence in his community. His mom hopes to "shift the perspective of what you see when you see a young Black man" by continuing to share her son's story. "I am really proud of him, but I am really grateful to Georgia Tech for opening a door of opportunity to a student like Caleb," she said. Meanwhile, Caleb continues to lead with humanity even after garnering the world's attention as a genius. He revealed it was only while sitting in his second lecture class of the day that he found himself thinking: "Wow, maybe I am advanced."
Thirteen-year-old Caleb Anderson is adjusting to some big changes as he returns to the classroom. Instead of heading to middle school, the whiz-kid and would-be seventh-grader is on his way to Georgia Tech, where heโs now studying to be an aerospace engineer. pic.twitter.com/sUgevRqWMQ
โ CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) September 13, 2021
The teen, who studied for a year at Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta, Georgia, before joining Georgia Tech, revealed that his long-term goals include earning a master's degree from the university, pursuing a career at SpaceX, and starting his own company. His top priority, however, is to pay it forward. "I want to help others that may just need nurturing and resources," the teen said. Speaking to CBS News last year, Caleb said: "I'm not really smart. I just grasp information quickly. So, if I learn quicker, then I get ahead faster."
Caleb Anderson was accepted to Georgia Tech at 12 years old. Yesterday, at age 13, he officially began his career as a Yellow Jacket and attended his first class... integral calculus. | https://t.co/JsnDtt1CpW pic.twitter.com/PmB5kQqXOi
โ Georgia Tech (@GeorgiaTech) August 24, 2021
"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. I could barely walk," he said of his schooling, noting that middle school was awful. "The kids there, they kind of looked down on me, they treated me like I was an anomaly. And I kind of am." He added that he has accepted he is different from his peers, saying: "This is my life. This is how I am. And I've been living this way my whole life."