A homeschooled girl who began college at the age of 14 is set to graduate this fall at the age of 19 with a bachelor’s degree from the University of the Pacific.
Abigail Kyles, a 19-year-old student from California, is the daughter of Melissa Wheeler, who is 44 years old and the head of a homeschooling resource center.
Kyles was born and raised in Bakersfield, where she received her high school education at home. This enabled her to start attending Bakersfield College, a junior college, at the age of 14, making her both a college freshman and a high school student at the same time.
“Abigail graduated from high school at 16 and is now pursuing a four-year degree at the University of the Pacific,” her proud mother told the Epoch Times.
While many public schools offer dual enrollment, they do not allow students to take as rigorous college courses as Kyles did. Wheeler believes that homeschooling was the key to her daughter’s success, allowing the child to take all the college courses she desired and graduate at a young age.
“She still has three classes left to take this fall,” Wheeler said. “So technically, she won’t fully complete her four-year degree until December.”
Wheeler strategically approached her daughter’s college journey, knowing that her desired major might change over time. She advised her to focus on general education first. Over time, Kyles chose a major in Political Science.
Undoubtedly, the college journey was not without its challenges. Kyles admitted feeling nervous due to the age gap with her classmates.
“I had people in my class who were probably about 30 years old, you know, I would feel a bit nervous and scared,” the young girl said.
Wheeler mentioned that her daughter was initially a bit nervous about being around others as well. However, Kyles eventually found friends among her classmates. She stated that despite the challenges, attending community college was a blessing, and she was grateful for the courses she took there.
“They definitely helped me grow academically and socially because I was interacting with so many diverse people of different ages. I could interact well with people much older than me as well as people my age,” Kyles said.
After graduating from Bakersfield College, she went on to study at the University of the Pacific. In most classes, Kyles was the youngest student. Apart from a few friends and professors, she did not disclose her age to everyone, often surprising them when they found out.
Despite facing challenging coursework in college, Kyles managed to enjoy some leisure time, allowing her to pursue her hobbies.
“If you stay disciplined, if you can persistently complete tasks, finish your homework, you have a lot of time. You just need to have good time management skills,” she said.
This fall, the talented student will receive her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Criminal Justice. She has already begun studying for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and plans to take the exam in the spring of 2025, followed by applying to law school in the summer.
Wheeler’s five children – four girls and one boy – were homeschooled throughout their upbringing. Kyles began learning to read at the age of 4.
Some subjects at school were easy for Kyles, such as English and History, while others proved challenging. Over the years, with the help of a math tutor, Wheeler facilitated Kyles’ success in math.
As an experienced homeschooling parent, Wheeler advises other parents interested in homeschooling to emphasize education and character development gradually. She also suggests that parents connect with other homeschooling families and seek private tutoring as needed.
Kyles is set to receive her diploma this fall, fully prepared for her success and excited for the future.
“I am proud of her,” her mother said. “I know God is going to do great things in her life.”
For those looking to start at community college early or experience educational success like herself, Kyles emphasizes that consistent discipline is more important than fleeting motivation.
“You can have a great drive, but that’s not going to get you where you want to go, you have to have that discipline. So it is rigorous, it is difficult, you need to have that discipline to accomplish it for anyone who wants to do that,” she said.
Wheeler is proud of every one of her children and is pleased to see their hard work paying off. For her family, the decision to homeschool has been a blessing.
“I wouldn’t change it,” she said. “No matter what happens, I wouldn’t change it.”