STEVEN CARRILLO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Andrew Tuohy, who at 15 is the youngest student at UA, relaxes in front of Slonaker House. The political science sophomore works in the building, which houses the Honors College, where Tuohy is a student.

Andrew Tuohy uses his CatCard to get into R-rated movies. Unlike most University of Arizona students, he isn't old enough to get in otherwise.

Tuohy, who at 15 is the youngest UA student, can't get into R movies but has already completed two years at Pima Community College.

His age, though, has also gotten him in trouble.

He said a girl he was dating broke up with him after finding out that he was only 15.

"I just said 'I'm a sophomore,'" he said. "I never lied."

He's taking 13 units this semester, majoring in political science, has a couple jobs to pay for improvements to his '68 Ford Mustang and a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Tuohy began at UA last semester after completing two years at Pima Community College when he was just 12 and 13.

He skipped high school, never got a GED, took the SATs when he was 12 and expects to graduate in 2004.

Tuohy said he hasn't had a problem adjusting, socially or academically, to college life.

"I never really study," he said. "I already know most of the stuff anyway. There haven't been that many new concepts."

Tuohy attributes his knowledge to the reading that he does outside of school - in newspapers and magazines like U.S. News and World Report and Hotrod.

"I read a lot, I sit at home and read and work on my car," he said. "I thought it would be hard socially, but UA is a friendly campus."

Tuohy flew through school, skipping several grades, before attending PCC and then "went back to eighth grade just for fun to hang out with kids my age," he said.

Honors College director Patricia MacCorquodale said she worked with Tuohy's parents as he made the transition to the university.

"He was really ready to come in January 2001, but I advised it would be better to wait. I think it's a lot harder to come in mid-year," she said.

MacCorquodale said younger students can have problems adjusting socially to college life.

"I think he has made the adjustment very well. He's mature for his age," she said. "Intellectually, he has been at the level for a long time."

Tuohy said that he and his parents spend part of the year in Tucson and part in Alaska, where the legal driving age is 14 - which fostered his early interest in cars.

"I just enjoy driving. I just want to have fun and not find the cure for cancer or anything. My plan right now is to make my car faster than my mom's," he said. His mom drives an '87 Buick Grand National.