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Musk's A+ Tech Aptitude: A Glimpse at 17
2 Oct
Summary
- A 17-year-old Elon Musk scored A+ in programming and operating systems.
- His aptitude test results from 1989 were described as 'outstanding'.
- At 12, Musk created and sold his first video game code for $500.
A computer aptitude test from May 1989, taken by a 17-year-old Elon Musk at the University of Pretoria, reveals outstanding A+ scores in operating and programming systems. His mother, Maye Musk, recently shared this document, noting her son's "genius." Musk himself recalled scoring the highest for engineering aptitude the university had ever seen.
This early academic success was preceded by a significant childhood achievement: at age 12, Musk developed and sold the code for a video game called Blastar for approximately $500. These foundational experiences foreshadowed his future in technology.
Musk's career trajectory includes co-founding Zip2 and X.com, becoming a major shareholder in PayPal, and later founding SpaceX in 2002. He also joined Tesla as an early investor in 2004, becoming CEO in 2008.
The 1989 test results serve as an early indicator of Musk's profound technical aptitude. They offer a compelling look at the nascent interests that paved the way for his leadership in electric vehicles, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
