A 13-year-old boy from Long Island, New York, Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, is set to begin a master’s programme at New York University (NYU) next year, despite still completing his undergraduate degree.
According to CBS News, Petraro-Hyppolite is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree and is expected to graduate in May 2027.
The teenager, who reportedly has an IQ of 168, has achieved several academic milestones at an unusually young age. He scored 1,590 on the SAT at age 10 and earned his high school diploma at 11.
Petraro-Hyppolite said he has been accepted into an NYU master’s programme in sports management, with additional studies involving kinesiology and biology.
“My master’s is going to be sports management, but other than that, it’s also kinesiology and biology,” he said.
He admitted that he was somewhat nervous about the next stage but said he was excited about the opportunities ahead.
“Yeah, I mean, who wouldn’t be? But then again, I am also excited, because new doors are opening,” he added.
Petraro-Hyppolite has previously attended Louisiana State University and currently studies alongside students significantly older than him. He said some of his classmates are often surprised when they discover his age.
His mother, Anne Petraro-Hyppolite, described her son’s academic journey as remarkable, particularly because he was previously placed in special education classes after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.
“It’s just surreal. When he graduated high school so young, it was surreal, but this is … everything he does is surreal. He just loves to learn. He is like a sponge,” she said.
Despite his exceptional academic record, Petraro-Hyppolite said his achievements have not come 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.
Beyond academics, the teenager also volunteers at a nursing home in the Five Towns area of Long Island, where he helps residents.
Although he is preparing to pursue advanced studies in sports management, kinesiology and biology, Petraro-Hyppolite said his long-term ambition is to build a career in palaeontology.
If he completes the master’s programme as planned, he could graduate at around the same time he becomes legally eligible to drive.
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