Aspiring Mathematician to Graduate TTUISD at 12 Years Old

by Allison Brown

November 30, 2015

At just 12 years old, Jeremy Shuler will graduate high school and set out to accomplish his dream of attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Harvard University to study mathematics.

Jeremy said he has dreamed of becoming a mathematician since he was 5 years old. He is inspired by Dr. Terence Tao, a child prodigy who is now one of the world's leading mathematicians.

Jeremy considers himself to be a fast learner, and says the idea of learning new things is what drives him to succeed in his education.

“According to my mom, I taught myself to read when I was 20 months old,” Jeremy said, “and understood algebraic concepts by the time I turned four.”

Jeremy is currently enrolled as a full-time student with Texas Tech University Independent School District and has also taken multiple credit by exams to get ahead in course credits. He said he likes the flexibility that TTUISD provides because it allows him time to participate in extracurricular activities.

“Our family loves to travel,” Jeremy said. “We can always take off to our next adventure when we feel like it, and don't have to worry about missing schoolwork.”

When researching online schools, Jeremy's mom, Harrey, discovered that TTUISD had a good reputation, a solid curriculum and great flexibility. Harrey believes one of the many benefits of TTUISD is that students learn self-discipline and time management skills.

“We think the courses are well designed, and the students can learn a lot more than in a traditional classroom setting because they have to actively work on the lessons,” Harrey said. “Jeremy learned a lot about time management and discipline while taking TTUISD courses.”

Harrey believes that her son possesses natural talent in both math and languages, and describes him as a very hard worker. Harrey says their family fully supports Jeremy's dream of becoming a mathematician.

“His dream is to be a mathematician and solve great questions that have remained unsolved through history,” Harrey said. “This drives him to success because he understands that it requires a lifetime of dedication and hard work.”

In his free time, Jeremy enjoys playing video games, reading sci-fi novels, swimming and riding horses. He also enjoys reading math books and doing recreational math problems. Jeremy is currently developing a radar signal encoding algorithm using Costas Array based on Sophie Germain prime numbers.

Jeremy said math is his favorite thing in the world, and plans to major in math, with the possibility of a dual major in both math and physics.

“I hope to stay in academia and dedicate my life to mathematical research and teaching,” Jeremy said. “Proving the infinitude of twin primes is one of my lifetime goals.”

Jeremy's other lifetime goals include receiving the Fields Medal and a Nobel Prize in Physics. Jeremy jokingly stated that he also hopes to develop true artificial intelligence and conquer the world with his robot army!

When asked what he would say to students who are considering enrolling in TTUISD, Jeremy said, “Go for it! Whether you need to accelerate your education, or take it slowly due to your job or other activities, TTUISD's flexible curriculum and well laid out courses will definitely help you achieve your goal.”

 

For more about Jeremy's recent academic progress, visit Texas Tech Today to read, Intelligence Beyond His Years: 12 Year-Old Heads To Ivy League School