At 11 years old, Alisa Perales has become one of the youngest students to enroll at the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside), according to alumni records. Beginning her studies as a computer science major this fall, Alisa is already working on advanced mathematical proofs and adapting to university life.
Alisa’s academic journey started early. By age four, she could name world capitals and identify human bones. She began taking classes at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa when she was eight, ultimately earning two associate degrees in sciences and mathematics with a 3.8 grade point average before transferring to UC Riverside.
Her father, Rafael Perales, a self-employed attorney and single parent, has played an active role in her education by homeschooling her from an early age. “My whole philosophy was to make everything fun because if it’s not fun then the mind wanders and interest is lost, and there’s no moving forward on that point,” he said. “So keeping it fun by singing songs, singing ABCs, singing different things, just progressed to putting the words together from the letters and the sounds.”
Rafael continues to accompany Alisa to campus five days a week from their home in San Bernardino. He walks her to class each day and waits nearby while she attends lectures.
Alisa says she enjoys engaging with classmates during icebreaker activities and making new friends: “I liked the icebreakers on the first day of class where I got to meet new people and we sometimes talked about different things and we got to know each other better and make new friends.”
She has also begun participating in campus life by attending soccer games, trying campus-grown tangerines, signing up for student clubs, and sampling food options around campus.
After completing high school requirements at age eight through homeschooling, Alisa transitioned into community college following a counselor’s advice. “As soon as I showed up [at Crafton Hills College], I liked it,” she said. “I’d be talking to different classmates and meeting new people. I was just fitting in with people.”
The decision for Alisa to attend UC Riverside was influenced by its proximity to their home and its engineering program that allowed her to select computer science as her major. Financial aid is helping cover much of her tuition costs.
Tofigh Heidarzadeh, a lecturer in electrical and computer engineering at UC Riverside who teaches Alisa in his “Technology in the Premodern World” class commented on her performance: “She’s always on time, following the lectures seriously, and taking notes,” he said.
Alisa aims to finish her bachelor’s degree within two years with aspirations for further study in artificial intelligence or space exploration; she hopes someday to travel into space herself.
Outside academics, Alisa plays soccer with her AYSO team—the Fuschia Fireballs—where she serves as center forward. For Halloween this year she dressed as Hermione from Harry Potter.
Despite being much younger than most classmates—and receiving attention from media outlets including People magazine and Los Angeles Times—Alisa says fellow students have been welcoming: “They don’t seem to have too much of a reaction and they seem nice,” she said. “I’m meeting more and more people here. Hopefully all goes well.”
