19-year-old to be youngest PhD graduate at University of North Texas

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Most 19-year-old's are wondering how they are going to deal with their freshman year of college, or handling a full-time job. But Noel Jett is focused on completing her PhD.

Jett is set to be the youngest known PhD grad in the University of North Texas history.

Nancy Shastid, Jett's mother, says she knew her daughter was smart from a very young age.

"She started college-level math at the age of 10," Shastid said.

At the age of 13, she began taking classes at Tarrant County College. The next year, she and her mom moved to College Station so she could enroll at Texas A&M.

"You know, being under the drinking age is weird. Being under the driving age is weird," Jett said.

Jett graduated from A&M with her bachelor's degree at 16, but she wasn't finished. She went on to UNT, where she spent the following three years completing her PhD and dissertation in educational psychology.

But she's still not finished.

Texas Tech University invited her to their online masters program, and she accepted.

"I can't believe I agreed to all of this," Jett said.

Her focus is mental health counseling. She wants to help profoundly gifted students like herself.

"There's some sort of proverb or saying that says, 'Be the person you needed when you were a child,'" Jett said.

As she prepares for her next adventure, Jett hopes to help kids who may feel isolated by their intelligence.