Britain's Brainiest Teen Shatters Records, Secures Oxford Spot

Mahnoor Cheema, an 18-year-old student from Slough, has officially been hailed as Britain's smartest teenager after achieving a staggering 24 A-Level subjects with top distinctions. Her remarkable feat includes passing an additional Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and securing an unconditional offer to study medicine at the prestigious University of Oxford.

With a reported IQ of 161—a score higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking—Mahnoor's academic journey has broken multiple world records, bringing her total number of global academic records to six. Her recent accomplishments include the highest number of A-Levels passed with distinction (24 subjects), the highest number of A* and A grades (19), and the highest total of A* grades across both A-Levels and GCSEs, with an impressive 45.

From Lahore to Oxford

Mahnoor’s family, who are of Pakistani heritage and originally from Lahore, moved to the UK in 2016. Her parents, barrister Usman Cheema and her mother Tayyaba, a full-time mother with a master's in economics, recognized her exceptional abilities from a young age. By the age of six, Mahnoor had read all seven Harry Potter books, and by 11, she had committed the entire Oxford English Dictionary to memory.

"My study co-partner is my mum," Mahnoor previously stated, highlighting her mother's crucial role in her academic discipline. Tayyaba creates a detailed timetable for her daughter, balancing intense study with hobbies, travel, and socializing.

A Different Approach to Learning

Despite her immense workload, Mahnoor rejects the idea of being an "exam robot." She maintains a unique study routine, which includes a three-hour nap after school to ensure peak productivity. She has also openly shared her belief that "burnout is a choice," driven by her motivation and genuine love of learning.

Her academic interests span a wide range of fields, from the sciences to the humanities. The subjects she aced include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Literature, Law, Politics, Latin, German, and Film Studies, among others. She explains that she finds joy in the richness of the subjects themselves, viewing exams as simply a necessary qualification.

Mahnoor's future at Oxford will focus on medicine, a path she has long aspired to. Her achievements not only underscore her personal brilliance but also serve as an inspiration for students worldwide, proving that a passion for knowledge, supported by a dedicated family, can lead to extraordinary accomplishments.