Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, 13-year-old prodigy, to begin NYU master's program

Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, a 13-year-old from Long Island, New York, is preparing to begin a master's degree program at New York University (NYU) next fall. A child prodigy with an IQ of 168, he graduated high school at age 11 and achieved an SAT score of 1,590/1,600 at age 10.

His academic success follows significant personal challenges. During his early education, he was placed in special education classes due to communication issues and involuntary movements. He was later diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, dyslexia, and severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Additionally, he battled lymphocytic leukemia in the third grade.

After transitioning to a school that allowed for self-paced learning, Petraro-Hyppolite progressed rapidly. He previously studied kinesiology online at Louisiana State University (LSU) and expects to complete his bachelor's degree in May.