Mexican genius, 8, wants to study astrophysics at UA

An 8-year-old girl from Mexico with a sky-high IQ could study at the University of Arizona soon.

The particulars of the young genius, Adhara Pérez Sánchez, are stunning: Her IQ came in at 162, higher than celebrated smart guys like the late physicist Albert Einstein, Mexican media reported earlier this year. She’s developing a “smart” bracelet to help kids with disabilities, Vogue Mexico reported.

Pérez, of Mexico City, has already graduated from high school. A story in the Yucatan Times in November detailed how Perez, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, was bullied and called names by her classmates.

Her mother pulled her out of school, and she swiftly moved through grades on her own, eventually graduating from high school at age 8, the Yucatan Times said. She’s now studying for two degrees online at universities in Mexico.

But her dream is to study astrophysics at UA, the outlet reported. She wants to be an astronaut someday.

Her mother said she planned to take her to the U.S. to take exams and hoped a scholarship was in her future.

As Pérez’s story spread online, it captured the attention of UA President Robert Robbins, who sent her a letter inviting her to the school. UA shared a copy of the letter with The Arizona Republic.

“I was thrilled to read about your incredible story online and to find out that your dream school is the University of Arizona,” Robbins wrote to Pérez. “We have many outstanding space sciences programs, you would have many opportunities to work side by side with the world’s leading experts.”

He offered to connect Pérez with faculty in the astronomy department or lunar and planetary sciences lab, as well as with the university’s enrollment office.

Mexico News Daily, which first reported on Robbins’ letter, said Pérez’s parents are now working on ways to fund her schooling and getting her enrolled in intensive English classes.