<p>So I have a summer birthday and where I grew up my parents had a choice to make me the oldest or youngest in my class based on that and they chose the former, so all my life I've been a little bit older than some of the kids in my grade (and a few of the youngest kids in the next grade up). It always made me feel a little awkward and insecure but I managed to deal with it.</p>
<p>So basically I will actually be 19 when I start up college in september as opposed to most of my friends who will be 18, so I was just wondering, do you think this would make things awkward for me? What would you call the "average" age for an entering freshman? Do you know anyone else whose been through something similar with a summer birthday or missing the cutoff? (I think the official name is called redshirting or something).</p>
<p>I know its kind of a weird topic but I think I would feel a little bit better with some closure and knowing I'm not the only one :P</p>
<p>I always felt that the average freshman age was 17-20. It varies on schools and if students take a gap year. </p>
<p>In my district there is an elementary school that excepts children at a very young age. These children usually graduate at 17. There’s also another school (my old school) that doesn’t like to accept young children. Which is why everyone I knew in elementary school is graduating at 19.</p>
<p>So don’t feel awkward about it. Weird enrollment policies often cause things like that to happen.</p>
<p>There is very little difference between an 18 year old and a 19 year old. The difference basically comes down to a number on a birth certificate. Beyond that, you will be no different than an 18 year old incoming freshmen. I was 25 my freshmen year. </p>
<p>Look at it this way, you’re going to be 21 before your friends, so you’re going to be the cool one that’s able to buy booze for everyone else.</p>
<p>You are definitely not “normal” if you are a college freshman that is not 18 or 19. Since you will be 19 in September, no one is going to care. Plus you get to turn 21 earlier then everyone else so people will think you are lucky anyways.</p>
<p>Most freshmen will be turning 19 during the school year and will therefore be your same age. There will, however, likely be students at your university who took a gap year (or more), were in the military, or simply started late. It’s not uncommon for some individuals to begin college in their 20’s. When I took college courses at community colleges and state universities in high school, there were plenty of students in my classes who were at least in their mid-20’s.</p>
<p>The average age at my school is something like 27…I forget offhand. I’m in a community college though, which is obviously going to be a little different than a university.</p>
<p>Seriously, there is nothing “weird” about starting college a little later in life. There are plenty of people that start college later in life, and for all kinds of reasons. Some people take a gap year…some people take 5 “gap years.” Some people spend a few years in the military, or join the workforce for a while. </p>
<p>Younger kids seem to think that there is some huge difference between being 18, 19, or even TWENTY! Seriously…there’s virtually no difference between an 18 year old kid, and a 20 year old kid. Until you get out there and actually get some real life experience, you’re all in the same place. I started college at 25, and there’s still very little difference between myself and an 18-19 year old freshmen. I have a lot more life experience than them, because I’ve taken time to travel, and go experience life…but fundamentally speaking, there is little difference.</p>
<p>If you didn’t tell them that you were 19, or 20, or whatever…the 18 year olds wouldn’t even know the difference.</p>