(CNN) -
A 12-year-old boy in North Carolina used the downtime he had during the pandemic to take a few extra classes at school.
Now, a year later, Mike Wimmer of Salisbury is preparing to graduate from high school and college in the same week.
Wimmer completed four years of school in one year: two years of high school and a two-year technical degree.
He will graduate from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College on May 21 and from Concord Academy High School on May 28, where he is the top student.
But this was not always Wimmer's plan, he said.
The student was taking dual enrollment classes and realized that at the rate he was going, he only needed a few more classes to earn his technical degree upon graduation from high school.
He said that his average GPA at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is 4.0, while his GPA in high school is 5.45.
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This genius kid is about to graduate from college ... and he's only nine years old
Love for robotics
Despite being several years younger than his classmates, Wimmer said he gets along well with them, and was even nominated for the school court last year.
Wimmer, who has an interest in robotics, told CNN that he is "the kid of math and science."
She has always had an affinity for technology - she was given her first iPad when she was 18 months old and she wondered how it worked.
He learned nearly all of his programming and robotics knowledge through trial and error and online videos, according to his website, Next Era Innovations.
He also created his own startup, called Reflect Social, which "combines popular social media platforms with Internet of Things (known as IoT) devices, providing a dynamic new social experience," according to his website.
Wimmer's goal for the startup is to simplify the operation of smart home technology, with the ultimate goal of helping others.
"My business goal is to develop technology that enables people to live better lives," he said.
What the future holds
Wimmer's parents said they are proud of the person their son has become.
"If a door is closed, you will find another way to find out how to achieve your goals," his mother, Melissa Wimmer, told CNN.
With graduation just a few weeks away, Wimmer said she is weighing many options for her next steps.
Those options include job offers inside and outside the United States, further studies, or a scholarship that will allow you to grow your startup.
But he said he wants people to know that he is still a child;
Make time for normal children's activities, like playing basketball and building legos.
"Many people think that I have given up my childhood or that I have somehow lost it," said Wimmer, "and I tell them that I am having the best time of my life."
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