11-Year-old Science Whiz Kid Officially Starts at HBCU

Elijah Precciely, 11, said he is “very excited” to begin his first semester at Southern University, a historically Black university in Lousiana.

“I’ve been waiting on this for a long, long time,” Precciely told local news station KTVE. “This is my environment.”

In May 2018, it was reported that the boy who was home-schooled by his mother had received a full scholarship to Southern’s Honors College. He first began taking courses at the university at age 8.

As a result, the 11-year-old began as a sophomore majoring in physics.

“I love to be up here on campus. I love to learn,” Precciely told the reporter. “But what really strikes me is when some people think I’m 15. Either I’m a tall 11-year-old, or a short 15-year-old.”

Fellow students praised him for his smarts and said he fits in on campus. Manicia Gene Finch, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, said the boy is “more than just a student.”

She continued, “I think he is a young gentleman and man of the Holy Spirit. He’s going to fit in very well, as he already does here at Southern University.”

Precciely said, “Right now, I’m focused on my academics, and everything else comes afterward.”

Watch his full interview below.