A 13-year-old student from Long Island, New York, Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, is preparing to take another major step in his remarkable academic journey after gaining admission to a master’s programme at New York University.
Petraro-Hyppolite, who has an IQ of 168, is currently completing his undergraduate degree and is expected to graduate in May 2027. He is then scheduled to begin his postgraduate studies at NYU later that year.
The teenager has already achieved several academic milestones well ahead of the typical timeline. He scored 1,590 out of 1,600 on the SAT at the age of 10 and earned his high school diploma at just 11.
He subsequently attended Louisiana State University, where he continued his undergraduate studies alongside students considerably older than him.
Petraro-Hyppolite has been accepted into an NYU master’s programme in sports management, with additional academic interests in kinesiology and biology.
Speaking about his upcoming transition to postgraduate studies, the young student acknowledged that he feels both nervous and excited about the opportunity.
“Yeah, I mean, who wouldn’t be? But then again, I am also excited, because new doors are opening,” he said.
Despite his exceptional academic achievements, Petraro-Hyppolite said his abilities do not mean that learning comes without effort.
“It’s not like I was shot out the womb knowing everything I know. I have to learn it once or twice. Then I’ll know,” he said.
His mother, Anne Petraro-Hyppolite, described her son’s academic journey as surreal, particularly because of the progress he has made from his early educational experiences.
She said he was previously placed in special education classes after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, but has since continued to excel academically.
“He just loves to learn. He is like a sponge,” she said.
Beyond academics, the teenager also spends time volunteering in his community, including assisting residents at a nursing home in the Five Towns area of Long Island.
Despite his accelerated academic path, Petraro-Hyppolite has interests beyond the classroom. He has expressed an ambition to eventually pursue a career in palaeontology.
If he completes his master’s programme as planned, Petraro-Hyppolite would graduate at an age when many students are only beginning their university education.
His unusual academic journey has drawn attention because of the pace at which he has progressed through the American education system, while his story also highlights the importance of recognising that exceptional academic ability does not eliminate the need for learning, effort and personal development.
For now, the young scholar remains focused on completing his undergraduate degree before taking on the next chapter of his education at NYU in 2027.
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