KELVIN A PhD WHIZ AT 20
HIGHTON whiz kid Kelvin Liu is used to standing out among his peers.
Now 20 and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, Kelvin was just 11 — and half the size of his classmates — when he completed VCE maths methods in 2011.
The former Kardinia International College student was 10 when he started Year 7 and embarked on his first Year 12 subject the same year.
He finished school at 15, having completed 10 VCE subjects to gain an ATAR of 99.50.
“I think when I just entered high school, I was pretty nervous, everyone seemed to know me,” he said.
“But when it came time to get out of high school, I was a lot more comfortable.”
The maths prodigy was just 18 when he graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne and still a teenager when he completed a Master’s degree.
Now, six years after graduating from high school, he is still the youngest in his class.
But Mr Liu, who is focusing on comparing algorithms in his PhD studies, said the age gap was now not so noticeable.
“Now, I’m definitely still a bit younger than my peers — but the age difference between 20 and 25 is not as noticeable as between 10 and 15,” he said.
And while he admitted it was challenging not being able to embark on the traditional rites of passage at university because of his age, he said he had no regrets.
Mr Liu hopes to become a university professor and currently works as a tutor to undergraduate students.
He said any young, gifted students should pursue their passions.
“Make sure you enjoy what you are doing,” he said.
“You don’t want to do something you don’t like, especially if you are accelerating.”