With a smile on his face and a Rice Krispie treat in hand, Iowa State’s youngest student gets out of his father’s office chair to make his introduction.

“Hi. I’m Jayadev. It’s pronounced like Jay and Dave, just like a combination of the guys on late-night television,” said Jayadev Siddhanta Athreya, a 13-year-old sophomore in mathematics.

Although Jayadev went directly from middle school to college-level courses, he does not consider himself Iowa State’s Doogie Howser.

“I am not a genius. I just had a lot of opportunity,” Jayadev said. “I had my mom and dad, who are both professors here. That’s a big plus.”

Jayadev began attending Iowa State classes in the summer of 1994, just after the fifth grade. “I just sat in on my dad’s class and took the tests,” he said.

Jayadev became a full-time Iowa State student in the fall of 1996.

“At first I got some looks, but now they just say ‘Oh, it’s just that kid again,'” he said.

With the energy level of a “typical” 13-year-old, Jayadev said it can be difficult to remain focused on his 18-hour credit load. This semester he is taking Mathematics 301 and 308, Physics 222, Political Science 490 and Astronomy 120.

“Astro 120, that’s the fun course,” he said.

When it comes to homework, Jayadev said he focuses at least two hours an evening on his classes. He said he also uses his time between classes to catch up on his studies.

“I try to get the best grades I can get, but when the weather is nice, I’d rather be playing basketball or tennis than studying,” he said.

Jayadev said he enjoys the same activities as other people his age. He said he is a “basketball nut” and enjoys playing tennis, chess and watching sporting events on television.

“If he wasn’t careful he’d be watching sports all the time,” said Krishna Athreya, Jayadev’s father and professor of mathematics. “We have to put a lid on it.”

Although his friends all attend Ames Middle School, Jayadev said he spends a lot of his time with them. “We are a close group of friends,” he said. “They all live by me.”

Now Jayadev said he is looking forward to the summer. “In the summer, it’s awesome,” he said. “I sit in on one course and then go home and party with my friends.”

Krishna said attending Iowa State has been a good experience for his son. He said he doesn’t feel that Jayadev is being forced to grow up too quickly, rather he is just being educationally challenged.

“He is a bright kid,” Krishna said.

Jayadev said he doesn’t feel he will miss the typical college social life due to his early attendance. “I can experience that in grad school,” he said.

And by many accounts, Jayadev is a pretty typical college student right now — although a smart one. He is a President Scholar and a National Merit Scholar finalist with a 3.84 GPA.

“My grade-point is dropping like a brick,” Jayadev said as his father quickly disagreed. “Well, I know one thing, it’s not floating like a balloon.”

As for his future, Jayadev’s only definite plans are to continue with school.

“Basically, I’ve grown up on this campus,” he said. “Actually, I’ve grown up in this department, and I plan on being here for a long time.”