He may play a dim-witted (but adorable) goofball on ABC's Modern Family, but in real life, Nolan Gould is no dummy.

In fact, the actor (who plays the baby of the family, Luke Dunphy) graduated high school well before his peers at age 13. "Over the summer, I did a lot of studying and I took an exam and tested out of high school," he said on the Ellen DeGeneres Show October 8. "So I'm hopefully going to go on and do some online community college courses."

Gould, who also played Justin Timberlake's nephew in the 2011 rom-com Friends With Benefits, has an IQ score of 150. ("When people learn I'm a member of MENSA, they're shocked," he admitted on the same show in January.)

Being on a hit comedy series is surreal, according to the young actor. "It's really fun, but I realized something as I was driving in my limo [on my way to the Primetime Emmy Awards in September]: 'Wait a second! I'm 13! This is my third time at the Emmys. What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?'" he laughed. "It's all downhill from now."

In addition to demonstrating an interest in education and acting, Gould is also an aspiring musician. "I really love it," the banjo player said. Host Ellen DeGeneres, 54, then surprised the teen star with an early birthday gift: a sitar! "What the heck? Oh, my God!" Gould squealed of the instrument usually heard in traditional Indian music. "Can I ask you something? Where did you find a sitar? Is there, like, a sitar center around? Thank you so much!"