Orange County

13-Year-Old With 4 Associate Degrees Is Youngest Graduate of Calif. College

Jack Rico earned two associate degrees in two years at the college in Orange County.

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A Southern California college graduate achieved something exceptional in what has been a spring unlike any other for students.

At just 13, Jack Rico, of La Mirada, graduated from Fullerton College with four associate degrees. He is the college’s youngest ever graduate. 

“I still can’t really believe that I’ve achieved something like this,” Rico said. “I didn’t know that I could really do that.”

His degrees are in social sciences, social behavior and self development, arts and human expression and history. He earned the degrees in just two years at the college.

Rico plans to continue his education at the University of Nevada. 

Like graduates throughout the nation, he wasn't able to experience a school ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. A drive-by celebration was planned for Wednesday in his neighborhood.

Established in 1913, Fullerton College is the oldest community college in continuous operation in California. 

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