And he's just a senior in high school. Allan, whose accomplishments rival those of many adults, will be among those graduating from Saratoga High School this week.

Throughout his four years of high school, Allan has met success in a number of math and science competitions, including first place in the International Science and Engineering Fair and second place in the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

"We have never had a student who's had the type of accomplishments he's had. Allan is a unique fellow," says Gail Wasserman, assistant principal at Saratoga High.

Allan was named to this year's All-USA High School Academic First Team, which recognizes the top 20 graduating high school seniors in the country. He was also named a Siemens AP Scholar for ranking among the top 12 nationwide in eight math and science advanced placement exams administered through the College Board.

Allan's interest in the sciences was evident from the very beginning. His mother, Chi Chu, recalls him drawing battleships on the family's Apple II G3 computer at age 3. By the fifth grade, Allan owned his first TI-82 graphing calculator.

"He was carrying that calculator all the time and working on something," says Chi. "Later I found he had learned the calculator language himself and was programming calculator games."

But a love for science was not the only thing Allan's parents tried to impress upon their only child. Wanting to develop his appreciation for literature, Chi would often take him on trips to the library.

"I remember when he was little, I put him in the library. He just exhausted all the books," she says, noting that he always loved science fiction and stories about King Arthur.

His parents also signed him up for Little League, soccer, horseback riding, skating and Chinese school as a kid, but it was Allan's natural affinity for the sciences that won out in the end. Nevertheless, nestled among the numerous trophies and medals displayed in one corner of the Chus' living room sit four sports trophies for participation in baseball, basketball and soccer.

"I never pushed him, but I tried to give him the opportunity, put him in the right environment," Chi says.

That "right environment" turned out to be the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, a program Allan enrolled in for six weeks when he was in the fifth grade. It was during this period of his life that Chi began to realize that her son truly excelled in math and science.

Two years later, as a seventh-grader, Allan received a perfect score of 800 on the math section of the SAT I. He followed that up with a perfect score of 1,600 on the standardized test, with the math and verbal sections combined.

Yet scores and grades aren't the things Allan focuses on. Though graduating with a 4.63 weighted grade point average and named one of two salutatorians for his class, the high school senior dismisses the emphasis on his academic marks.

"I never really paid much attention to grades," he says.

"I could've tried a lot harder," he adds in reference to the effort he put into his schoolwork.

But that simply isn't the case, if his teachers have anything to say about it.

"Allan wasn't happy just with getting the score required. He wanted to maximize his knowledge," says Steve Garcia, who was Allan's advanced placement computer science teacher his sophomore year. "He was not satisfied with coasting by."

Allan spent the summer following his sophomore year working on developing a new algorithm for data compression, which reduces the size of a computer file and thus speeds up the process of sending a file via the Internet. He coined his work the LZAC Lossless Data Compression model.

"LZAC is worthy of being judged upon its own merits, but given that its developer did most of the work as a high school sophomore makes this a truly outstanding piece of work," Garcia writes in his nomination letter of Allan for a fellowship award. That letter helped land Allan a $50,000 scholarship from the Davidson Institute for Talent Development.

"Allan's LZAC data compression model has the potential to positively affect the computer activities of individuals, corporations, institutions and governments worldwide," the letter states.

With Garcia's encouragement, Allan has applied for a patent on his algorithm. His research paper on the same subject appeared in Proceedings, the journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

The teenager's mastery of many mathematical and scientific concepts has been recognized by other teachers as well at Saratoga High, where Allan has participated in the math club, the computer club and the speech and debate team.

"There are some people who love to read books, but what grabs Allan are new ideas," says advanced placement biology and chemistry teacher Bob Kucer. Describing Allan as "a project-based person, as opposed to a textbook-based person," Kucer says the high school student would much rather work on developing new concepts than read about them in a book.

"Where he distinguished himself was in the science fairs. In his projects, he excelled," Kucer says.

Allan's success in taking home the prize in countless math competitions and science fairs has not come without some sacrifice. In order to attend the many competitions and award ceremonies, some of which were out of state, Allan has had to miss school.

"In the end, I would rather have travelled than have stayed at school," reflects Allan, who describes the remarkable people he's met through competitions and special ceremonies, including researchers and Congress members. A framed photograph of Allan with Sen. Barbara Boxer sits atop a television set at the Chu residence.

"I've really enjoyed my high school experience," he says.

Chi estimates that her son missed almost the entire month of school in November of his junior year due to travelling.

"A lot of teachers have been flexible in letting me turn in work when I get back," Allan says.

Besides missing class, Allan did not attend either his junior or senior prom because he had math competitions those same weekends. In retrospect, he admits, he wishes he had gone to the last dance.

Allan hasn't only made sacrifices for competitions; he's passed up some competitions as well in order to attend class at Saratoga High or to study for advanced placement tests.

As is fitting for someone whose high school career was in part defined by his travels, Allan again will head off to Washington, D.C., just two days after graduation. There he will be honored as a U.S. Presidential Scholar. Recipients of the coveted title are selected based on accomplishments, leadership, personal character, community and school involvement and academic achievement. One male and one female student from each state are presented with the award.

Also not too long ago, Allan was inducted into the National Gallery for America's Young Inventors Hall of Fame in Ohio.

Allan hopes to land an internship this summer before heading off to Harvard University, where he plans to major in engineering or a science-related field. He had also considered attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology, which offered him a full scholarship.

"It's just the feel of the students who graduate from Harvard and it's partially the diversity that Harvard has to offer," Allan says about his decision to study at the Ivy League institution.

The college scene is not entirely new to Allan, who has taken seven courses through Stanford's Educational Program for Gifted Youth, a self-paced program that students take online.

Eventually, Allan says, his goal is to become an inventor, a profession in which he can "use science and technology to benefit humankind." Ultimately, he defines success as happiness—"how happy you are from what you do."

"As a person, he's quiet, very respectful, very motivated," describes Garcia. "He doesn't mind helping other folks with their problems."

As for reflecting on his time at Saratoga High, Allan was at a loss for words when asked how he hopes to be remembered.

"I don't like to think that I fit any label," he says. "I'd like to be more than just a label."