A 14-year-old Completed High School and College in 3 Years while Running Two Companies

A 14-year-old completed high school and college in 3 years while running two companies: Mike Wimmer received his diploma after donning a cap and gown and walking across a stage like many other college graduates. Wimmer, who graduated earlier than the others, is 14 years old.

Wimmer is from Salisbury, North Carolina, and is a Mensa member. He received a computer science degree from Carolina University last spring, capping a three-year period during which he also earned associate’s and bachelor’s degrees and was designated his high school’s valedictorian.

He achieved it while leading two software companies, founding another, and occasionally receiving commissions from the US military due to his proficiency in machine learning and artificial intelligence. He also collaborates with Atlantic Lionshare, a Bermuda-based company that manages the invasive lionfish species in order to save aquatic environments.

Wimmer’s life is indeed very busy, as you could expect.

But like any teenager, he spends some of his day activities engaging in what he refers to as “kid time” activities like playing basketball, swimming, or Lego construction with friends.

“People think, ‘Oh, you’ve not had a childhood. You didn’t do XYZ.’ And that’s not true,” Wimmer said. “I did everything a normal high schooler did, I did everything a normal middle schooler did. I’m still a kid.”

Basketball and video games may be considered work-related distractions by some. Wimmer has a different perspective and claims that, more than anything else, his hobbies help him be more productive. This is why a 14-year-old completed high school and college in 3 years while running two companies with the help of video games.

Staying Social

Before starting preschool, Wimmer’s intelligence was assessed, and the child psychologist informed his parents that he had reached the top of her IQ scale. Since then, he has advanced intellectually quickly, skipping grades and finishing academic programs that normally take a full year to complete.

Because of this, he often finds himself to be “the youngest person in the room,” and his parents have never wanted him to feel lonely.

“That is the one thing my parents have made me do,” says Wimmer. “Make sure I’m still a kid.”

Wimmer says he maintains perspective on his age by playing video games or talking about auto racing with his pals.

His interests serve as a constant reminder that he has a life beyond his academic and professional successes, which is particularly important given that, according to research, friendships and social interaction are key components of pleasure.

Beginning at age 3, his parents Melissa and Mark pushed him to put himself out there in supervised social situations, such as shaking hands with a cruise ship captain or placing his own order with a waiter.

Melissa says, “That’s why he’s so social today,”.

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To ‘Completely Clear My Mind’

Wimmer enjoys playing motor racing simulation games with his friends during his breaks from work. He claims to have a “Class A license” in the second-best classification available in the online game iRacing.

“To be good at it, you have to forget everything else and put your total focus on it,” Wimmer advises. “If I’ve been working on school or working on projects or anything else, I can just go up there and completely clear my mind.”

According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, engaging in creative activities can aid in your ability to recuperate from your workload and work at a higher level. Researchers discovered in 2011 that having a hobby or pastime correlates with feeling more professionally engaged at work.

In other words, a brief diversion occasionally can help with productivity. It also serves as a reminder to Wimmer that work should be enjoyable.

Wimmer says he’s looking forward to getting back into his enterprises, notably the lionfish project in Bermuda, after taking some time off to celebrate his college graduation.

He claims to have created the ALFREDD artificial intelligence system, which aids Atlantic Lionshare’s “Reef Sweeper” machine, which is outfitted with cameras and harpoons, in autonomously identifying and taking out invasive lionfish.

“I’m super excited about it,” says Wimmer. “I’m going to have a lot of fun and get to spend some time in Bermuda, hopefully, and continue to explore the other opportunities for continuing my education as well in the future.”

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