Many great dreams children decide to embrace start with supportive parents who invest in their confidence and skills at home. A proud father named William Schlitz posted on Facebook about his teenage son’s accomplishment of graduating college at the age of 15, with plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
“So proud of my son Ian Taylor Schlitz for his hard work and dedication to his education. 15 and college graduate. Now off to an MBA program in the fall. Not sure which one yet, but that decision will come soon. Love you Ian. #IansDad,” William posted.
According to Black Media Daily, Ian’s journey to graduate early from high school and attend the University of North Texas started when his parents opted to remove him from public school to homeschool their son at the age of seven.
“There’s a lot of racist issues in these schools, especially from these teachers that no one holds accountable, and the children pay the price,” the elder Schlitz said to Black Media Daily.
Schlitz added that he and his wife (Dr. Myiesha Taylor) were unwilling to sacrifice their children’s mental health and well-being, just so they could say they lived in a good suburban district. Mediocre learning inside the traditional school setting was not an option, according to Black Media Daily. The family’s plan birthed remarkable results. Ian graduated high school at just 13 years old. He completed his undergraduate studies at 15, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Science degree.
In 2020, WFLA reported that Ian was 12 the first time he stepped onto Tarrant County College’s northeast campus. He says he was glad that he was allowed to excel.
“When I progressed on to college, it was almost like it’s where I belonged,” Ian said to WFLA.
The Dallas Morning News also said that Ian’s older sister, Haley, became the youngest person ever to attend SMU (Southern Methodist University) Law at just 16.
“I am so proud to be done with my undergraduate degree with high honors. I majored in Integrative Studies and selected Learning Technologies as my emphasis because I realize that e-gaming and electronic media can be very valuable tools to use in education. I am 15 years old, and will start my MBA Program in the fall,” Ian said on his Facebook page.
“I am still deciding from where I want to obtain my Masters because, as my parents advise, I’m waiting to see what the money looks like. No sense in starting my business entrepreneurship in unnecessary debt from school. That wouldn’t be good business strategy! People often ask me “how did you do this?”Ian shared that he certainly did not achieve his goals alone. The teenager shared that his mother outlined her educational strategy for him while highlighting one of her books called The Homeschool Alternative, and Turn On The Power.
You may find the book by clicking this link.