Cobb County 14-year-old graduates from high school, college on same day

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He started reading at 4 years old, taking high school classes at 8, college classes at 11 and now at 14 Matthew McKenzie graduated from high school and college on the same day.

"I graduated from Chattahoochee Tech with my degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and later that night got my diploma from high school," said Matthew.

Matthew was homeschooled since he was in second grade.  "We would pull material from different textbooks and custom create his curriculum," said his mother, Monique McCord.

He started dual enrollment at 11 years old.  That's a big step for a preteen.

"I started off walking him to class and then the environment got a little more comfortable then he started walking himself, so he eased into the transition," said McCord.

In the fall Matthew will be studying biochemistry at Kennesaw State University.  Then he wants to go to Georgia Tech to get his Masters and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.

"I want to be a Cosmetic Chemist I want to start my own line of chemical products, the beauty of things," said Matthew.

His mom says that's been his plan since he was 8 years old and he has never wavered from it.

"At one point he said I'm going to cure wrinkles, and I said, good because one-day mom is going to have wrinkles and I'm going to need you!"

Matthew also loves to play football and plays the saxophone with the Joyful Noise Homeschool Band.