More than 21,000 students earned degrees from Arizona State University on Monday, May 12, making it the largest graduating class in school history.
One of those graduates, Abigail Zagala is just 14 years old. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in social and behavioral sciences at the age most people begin high school.
Zagala started reading shortly before turning 2, was taking college-level algebra by age 8 and finished her high school subjects by 11. She said as a resident of Peoria, ASU’s West campus was the perfect place to continue her education while living at home.
“For the algebra, I was actually on ASU’s Universal Learner program,” Zagala said. “So ASU was kind of always a part of my journey. I mean, even when I was small, my dad was an alum, so we have pictures of me as a toddler wearing the Sun Devils gear.”
She says her next step is to attend law school.
“I was inspired by my grandpa who served 34 years in the U.S. Air Force,” Zagala said. “He protected people’s rights, and I want to do that too — just in a slightly different way as a human rights lawyer.”
Zagala has already been accepted to several top-20 law schools throughout the nation and has received a full scholarship offer from one of her top choices.
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