Ivanna Poliashenko, a 19-year-old student at Georgia State University, has completed her bachelor's degree in mathematics with a statistics concentration in an unprecedented 14 months. Poliashenko condensed a typical four-year college curriculum into four semesters, from June 2025 to August 2026.
Poliashenko meticulously planned her accelerated path before enrolling. With the assistance of Leslie Meadows, an undergraduate director, she designed a course schedule to fulfill all requirements for the mathematics and statistics department. "I do really love math. It’s genuinely one of my favorite things," Poliashenko stated.
Her academic background included Advanced Placement credits from high school, which allowed her to bypass several introductory math courses. She began with a six-course semester in summer 2025, followed by seven courses in the fall, an intensive eight-course semester in spring 2026, and concluded with another six-course summer semester. During the demanding spring semester, Poliashenko juggled early morning tutoring sessions at the university's STEM Tutoring Center with classes running until late afternoon. Her evenings were dedicated to studying, often on the train commute home, and continuing her academic work until around midnight.
Despite the rigorous schedule, Poliashenko expressed initial concerns about potential gaps in her education. However, she was reassured after receiving the V.V. Lavroff Calculus Award, which is presented to students achieving a 4.0 GPA in all their calculus courses. "The math department really helped guide me towards my wildest dreams," she said.
Poliashenko also engaged in independent study, delving into abstract algebra with Professor Florian Enescu. He met with her weekly for five months to cover the advanced topic that did not fit into her course load.
Georgia State University is ranked 125th nationally for its mathematics program, according to U.S. News and World Report. Poliashenko has been accepted into Georgia Institute of Technology's master's program in mathematics to pursue her doctorate. She expressed a desire to pursue research or teaching, noting the potential impact she could have on younger students as a professor or even a high school teacher.