A pair of academically gifted siblings are celebrating significant achievements before the new school year. Elias Kim, 14, has successfully completed his first year studying MEng Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London, earning an impressive 84.77 percent, which is classified as a first-class mark. His younger sister, Ariel, 12, has commenced her A-level studies.
Elias secured his university place at age 13 after completing five A-levels: mathematics, chemistry, physics, further mathematics, and biology, achieving four A*s and one A. He admitted to initial nervousness about starting university at such a young age and concerns about keeping pace with older classmates. However, he expressed happiness at exceeding his own expectations and finding the coursework manageable.
He had applied to Oxford, UCL, and Imperial for biomedical engineering. Despite a strong performance on Oxford's PAT admissions test, he was rejected, but received unconditional offers from both UCL and Imperial, ultimately choosing Imperial College London. Elias noted that his younger age surprised his university peers, although they were friendly.
Elias's ambition is to complete his master's degree before potentially pursuing medicine or a PhD. Meanwhile, his sister Ariel is aiming to match and surpass his academic accomplishments. Ariel completed her GCSEs at age nine, achieving six grade 9s and one grade 8. She has now started her A-levels in chemistry, mathematics, further mathematics, and physics. Ariel stated her motivation to outperform her brother and to be outstanding.
Both siblings' advanced academic abilities were identified early. Elias's primary school teacher noticed his advanced reading skills and knowledge, leading to him skipping Year 2. After being homeschooled during the Covid pandemic from Year 4, he briefly returned to school before his family continued his education at home.
Their parents, Sung-in Kim, 52, and Kyoung-hwa Jung, 51, both have academic backgrounds. Their mother is a teacher of mathematics, piano, and Korean, while their father is a senior lecturer in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Their three older sisters, who work as private tutors, have also supported Elias and Ariel's studies.
Their sister Clara, 23, expressed pride in their achievements, noting their motivation and resilience. Beyond academics, Ariel enjoys drawing portraits and aspires to appear on television, inspired by K-dramas and K-pop. She is also considering a career in academia, aiming to become a lecturer.
The family has launched NewGenTutor, an online tutoring company. Elias acknowledged the significant role his family played in his success, suggesting that while others could achieve similar feats, it would remain challenging.