<p>I've a question about admission.</p>
<p>I know it's nearly impossible. If there are are 2 different students who have nearly same application , but one is 18 year old and one is 17 year old. What will happen to these student? Imagine college has only one place left.:-D</p>
<p>That doesn’t matter whatsoever, unless the 17 year old is skipping a year, in which case applications are totally different. If they are both seniors it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>If younger one take gap year for SAT and application process?</p>
<p>The age will not be the deciding factor, and candidates are never “nearly identical”. Their stats and ECs may seem comparable to ‘us’, however to an admissions reader one essay felt differently, one LOR indicated a quality they look for. At so many schools they are building a class and it’s not a matter of being statistically admissible, it’s a matter of who fills a need, who fits what they are looking for. Age is only going to play into it if through the essay and LORs reveal the 17yo is obviously less mature…but then these candidates are not nearly identical are they?</p>
<p>^agree with you. But older one has the greater chance as age does has effect on maturity, isn’t it?</p>
<p>No, not necessarily. There are too many other factors that will be looked at first. </p>
<p>Students mature at different rates so there is no way to say a 17yo is going to be at a disadvantage just because of their age. What will disadvantage them in highly competitive admissions is if they are graduating early (in 3yrs). Many top schools discourage this feeling students are better served spending the fourth year maximizing their educational and leadership opportunities in the high schools. Not all schools feel this way. Our neighbor headed to U Wisconsin at 16 (already a year ahead). So ymmv.</p>