text:  skipped 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grades while passing the New York State Regents exams. Soborno said even though he accelerated through grades and split his time, teachers and fellow students embraced him and gave him space to pursue his interests. The 12-year-old aspires to earn a Ph.D. and become a professor. He's heading in the fall as a commuter student to New York University.