Nationwide — Alisa Perales, a 10-year-old prodigy from San Bernardino, California, is set to make history next month as the youngest student ever to graduate from Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa. Despite being just shy of 11 years old, she will walk across the stage with two associate degrees and a final GPA close to 4.0 — a milestone that’s drawn praise and awe from educators and community members alike. Though no formal records track such cases nationally, college officials confirmed she’s the youngest graduate in the institution’s history.According to the New York Post, Alisa began taking college courses at age 8, after being homeschooled by her father, Rafael Perales, who used an inheritance to dedicate himself full-time to her education. He described their rigorous schedule: studying from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., six days a week. What began as home instruction quickly evolved, and on the advice of a guidance counselor, Alisa enrolled at Crafton Hills in 2023 — a move that surprised even her dad. “I thought maybe she’d get into college by 10,” he said, “but I never imagined she’d be graduating at 10.”
Alisa’s academic gifts showed early — she was reading books by age 2 and solving algebraic equations by age 5. She told KABC-TV that learning is one of her favorite pastimes, saying, “It’s almost as fun as playing outside or riding a bike… I just enjoy learning. There are so many interesting things out there.” Her transition into public education at Crafton Hills was initially nerve-racking, but she quickly adjusted, noting that the kindness of classmates helped ease her fears.
Despite her academic success, social challenges have come with her accelerated path. Rafael admitted it hasn’t been easy finding peers her age with similar educational experiences, so the family has had to make extra efforts to ensure she still has a chance to play and socialize. “It’s not like she can go to school and play with her friends like an average 10-year-old,” he said.
Alisa’s college accomplishments don’t end with just the two degrees. Had she stayed one more semester, she would have also completed degrees in computer science and physics. She also once used her political science coursework to file a federal lawsuit challenging youth voting rights — a sign of her growing interest in civic engagement. Looking ahead, Alisa has her sights set on transferring to a university, possibly Stanford, to study computer science and pursue a future career in artificial intelligence.
Her journey, however, is only just beginning. As her father proudly puts it, “She’s only getting started. That’s what shocks me the most. It’s been a short ten years, but we’ve covered a lot of ground.”