AUSTIN (KXAN) — Though he’s only 12 years old, Deep Hayer is already gearing up for college at Austin Community College.

“His understanding of life was much more mature than his peers,” said Rosie Hayer, his mother.

At a young age, Deep’s parents noticed his maturity and his love for learning. In the first grade, he was reading at a seventh-grade level.

“He was going to school and it wasn’t challenging for him,” said his father, Roger Hayer.

That love for reading and wanting to soak in as much knowledge as possible led him to his next goal in life — going to college.

“If I am not getting a challenge now, then why not go to a college?” Deep said. “I just feel like it is going to be going to school, and it is going to be a lot harder for sure, but at the same time, you are learning still.”

Deep said he’s motivated by setting goals and working hard, a quality he got from his parents. He likes to point out advice his dad gave him at an early age.

“We would have conversations all the time and lessons, and he would say time on task beats talent every time, and I really connected with that,” Deep said.

He has big goals, and they’re going to keep him close to home.

“After I am done with ACC I want to transfer to (University of Texas),” Deep said. “That has always been my dream. I have dreamed of going there from a young age.”

While he is looking forward to classes at ACC, he said leaving middle school and skipping high school was not an easy decision.

“I was skeptical at first, I am going to be missing out on something,” Deep said.

But after laying out the pros and cons, he decided he had nothing to lose.

“I think I am up for the challenge, and with a little bit of help from my parents, I can definitely achieve that goal,” Deep said.

Deep will begin classes in May.