23-year-old Julia Nepper can now add the prestigious title of “doctor” to her list of achievements.

According to WECT, the North Carolina native earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin over the holiday season.

“I’m so proud of her,” her mother, Nadine Nepper said. “All that hard work has paid off. It’s hard to believe she was kept back in kindergarten that one year.”

Since the age of 12, Julia has always been ahead of her peers when it comes to educational mastery. In fact, it was at that age that she started her post-secondary career at Cape Fear Community College.

“We didn’t think she was being challenged enough,” said Nadine.  “It was suggested if we wanted her to excel, we’d have to pull her out and homeschool her.”

That’s what the Neppers did before Julia enrolled in college.

That’s what the Neppers did for four years, and their hard work paid off.

“I was a know it all when I was a kid and I still am, but I tone it down a bit,” Julia said. “It came easy for me.”

Well it looks like her intelligence has paid off.

At age 14, Julia obtained her associates degree and at 16, she earned her bachelor’s degree from UNCW. Her 23rd year of life has her seeing her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

“Most of the people I’ve met, in my life, could have done what I did if they had the right support,” Julia said. “I don’t fault my parents, pushing me, with regards to my education. Clearly, I could handle it and it worked. So they must have done something right.”

Outstanding.