<p>Let's say... a senior who's 18 years old (average seems to be 17, right?) do colleges look at this? I mean let's say he took the most rigorous classes available, but he was a year older, so it's supposed to be 'normal' for him to take such classes right? Does graduating a year late than average (and no, he wasn't held back) will affect college chances?</p>
<p>No, no, and no.</p>
<p>CheerOutLoud, do you know anyone who went to HYPSM but went to college 19 years old? I’m feeling so dumb when I knew I’m so old…</p>
<p>You need to know that a number of school systems in the US require that children be 5 years of age when they start kindergarten in the coming fall. That means that lots of students who would turn 5 in the fall months (sept, oct, nov, dec) wouldn’t be able to attend school until the following year. </p>
<p>All of those kids wait a year to enter school and are older when they enter the school system. When they are seniors in high school, they are turning 18 in the fall and are one year older than their peers. The age doesn’t make a difference when they apply.</p>
<p>My son turned 19 the second week of classes his freshman year. Nobody gave it a thought.</p>