This is amazing! Most of us attended schools in steps. We finished high school before completing college. Matthew McKenzie, 14, did things a bit differently. This high school senior finished high school and earned an associate’s degree at the same time. “How did he do it,” you may ask. The answer is found in duality.
Matthew was homeschooled for high school while also enrolled in Chattahoochee Technical College. Such is the reason why he was able to obtain his diploma along with an associate’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
“A lot of people think homeschoolers exclude themselves from the world, but that wasn’t my experience,” the teen tells media. “I just think I’ve been given an opportunity and that I used that opportunity to benefit me the most,” he explains. “I think it will give me the chance to have more success and pursue more career options than I would have if I had gone to public school.”
Matthew’s mom, Monique McCord, also talks about her son’s incredible accomplishment. “Really, he’s just a kid who has worked really hard,” she says. “He does soak up information very quickly, but I’ve never used those words for him myself. … It wasn’t easy for him to get here. He just loves learning.”
Matthew doesn’t plan to stop at a high school diploma and a two-year degree. The teen plans to continue his studies at Kennesaw State University where he will pursue a degree in Biochemistry. McKenzie also wants to attend Georgia Tech where aspires to get a degree in chemical engineering. The ultimate goal of this teen is to launch his own cosmetics line in the future. Matthew is well on his way to accomplishing this aspiration.
