DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A 14-year-old DeKalb County girl just became the youngest student to ever be admitted to Spelman College!
Sydney Wilson, whose birthday was just last week, will start her freshman year at Spelman this fall as the youngest student in the college's history.
Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes talked to Wilson about what got her into college at such a young age.
WIlson has been a standout student all of her life. By the time she hit second grade, she knew she was different than other students in her class. Many of them teased her for being too smart.
Wilson didn't let it bother her.
"I just stayed on my path," Wilson said. "I didn't really feel like I needed to be popular ... because, I mean, I like myself."
Wilson's parents knew they had to do something different, so they enrolled her in Wilson Academy in Lithonia. That's where she started taking high school classes at age 10.
I think my face articulates how it felt to interview this local 14 y/o girl who just got into @SpelmanCollege Sydney Wilson is from Dekalb, she started taking high school classes when she was 10 & you don’t want to miss my exclusive story on her on Ch2 today pic.twitter.com/ll1O6qSvNk
— Tyisha Fernandes (@TyishaWSB) May 23, 2019
When kids teased Sydney Wilson for being “too smart” she said “I just stayed on my path, I didn’t really feel like I needed to be popular or liked - I like myself.” This Fall, she’ll be the youngest student @SpelmanCollege at just 14 years old. pic.twitter.com/9Rtzd6wPJA
— Tyisha Fernandes (@TyishaWSB) May 23, 2019
Just a few months ago, at just 13 years old, she applied to Spelman College. The school sent her dad an email saying his daughter was accepted.
Wilson reacted to the news like most teens: by posting the special moment on social media.
"So, he calls me in and he says, 'Look at the computer!' So I looked at it, and I just melt," Wilson said. "I was screaming and I was crying. I ran out to tell my family, and we took a bunch of pictures and posted it on Instagram and everything."
Wilson plans to live on campus like the other students, but she's not worried about the age gap.
"I’ve been with the older kids all my life, so socially, I don’t think it will be a problem for me," Wilson said.
Wilson plans to major in biology because she wants to use animal science to come up with cures for human ailments.
Cox Media Group
