Highland Park's Gordon, 16, Feels at Home in College

When Alex Gordon graduated from Highland Park High School in June he chose a college that was not too far away.

But Gordon could not drive to school at Northwestern University in Evanston. He was 15.

Now Gordon is a 16-year old Wildcat freshman and has jumped into an active college life just like the one he had as a Giant, according to a story in the Daily Northwestern. Gordon debates as part of the mock trial team, writes for the school’s satirical magazine, is already taking upper level economic classes and is a research assistant at the Kellogg School of Management. Kellogg has graduate only programs.

While a Highland Park High School student, Gordon debated as well. He also blogged on politics for Patch writing about the 2012 Presidential election and the selection of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as the GOP’s vice presidential choice.

As a 13-year-old sophomore, Gordon developed a snow shoveling program in Highland Park for senior citizens and others who could not clear snow themselves.

A Stevenson High School graduate and current Northwestern student, Jimmy Chang, who debated against Gordon at the prep level, holds him in awe. “It’s weird because he’s so much younger than us, but he’s vastly more intelligent than anyone I’ve ever met,” Chang said in the Daily Northwestern story. “His level of intellect is just beyond anything I comprehend.”

At 13, Gordon also amazed then Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) when he participated in the Congressman’s model congress nearly three years ago. “You get to see all the back and forth you don’t see on C-SPAN,” Gordon said in a Patch story at the time. “You are very busy in committee dealing with bills.” When told of the remark, Dold marveled at Gordon’s perception.

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