I’m set to start college next year but I will be 17 until April of that school year. I was just wondering if anyone who has been in that position could give me some insight on what it’s like. Is there a difference socially if I’m nearly a year younger than most people starting? I’m not a huge partier in the slightest so the 18+ clubs and all that will not be an issue and most of the colleges I’m applying to are fairly small if that makes any difference.
I didn’t turn 17 until the end of my first semester at college. This was many moons ago, but you are not talking about a big age difference! I think you’ll find many other 17 year olds. Maturity is more an issue at college than age. Good luck!
My D started college this fall 3 months away from her 17th birthday so she was only 16! She has always been very mature and no one had any idea that she was so young unless she told them. She attends a very small school and everyone looks out for each other anyway, so she’s felt very safe and at home. Sometimes she’ll mention her age and students will have to her show her ID to prove it-they are so surprised that she’s really that young. And one boy was very disappointed that she is too young for him. But other than than that, she’s happy with her decision to start college early.
My D might have a different perspective. She is a responsible and mature girl, but she is still very much a teenager. She just turned 18 a few days ago. She is one of the youngest at her small LAC, and she knows several freshman who are already 20. More and more often, kids are doing gap years. She is wishing she had taken a gap year, and I think she finds it not ideal that she is one of the youngest kids. Remember, half the campus is already in their twenties, and that IS a big difference from 17. My son, on the other hand, will be one of the older ones when he starts college, and if he takes a gap year, will be one of those guys turning 20 as a freshman. Hindsight is so useful, and we both wish my daughter had waited another year.
I don’t think it’s a big deal. No one will care.
My D has been the youngest in her grade for years and many don’t even know. She’s very mature. I was similarly one of the youngest in both undergrad and grad.
Nope. No big deal at all. I also began college at 16 and did not turn 17 until the end of the first semester. You will be fine. Many, many kids just like you are in the same boat. A few days or months either way makes no difference at all other than you will be one of the last to be able to drink legally.
Enjoy your years in college.
The problems my daughter encountered all had to do with being a minor living halfway across the country from parents. She couldn’t get an appointment with a local doctor, because in most cases, doctors won’t accept a minor as a new patient unless a parent initiates the appointment. Not a problem if you are staying close to home or attending a large university with a robust student health center, but for a kid at a tiny college with limited health services, this was an issue. Similarly, she was unable to open a local bank account in her own name. It wouldn’t have mattered if she were living in an area with a lot of banking options, but being a minor living in the middle of nowhere meant that the only option was online banking with a joint account.
As far as academics and social life, these were complete non-issues for her.
I was 17 for the first 3 months of this year (freshman year). It didn’t have a big impact on anything - if I had wanted to drink, all of my friends are under 21 anyway, so it’s not like being 17 versus 18 would make a difference since I’d be breaking the law no matter what. It doesn’t impact my social life in any other ways either - nobody cared that I was 17.
The only annoying thing was legal matters - I had to email some forms home to be signed (for NCAA drug testing and a couple other waivers), and when I broke my nose, urgent care almost didn’t take me since I was a minor. Thankfully, the head nurse was satisfied with a phone call home.
All in all, being 17 was just a minor annoyance at the beginning of the school year. After all of the various forms are signed, it only was a problem in extenuating circumstances. If anything, it was a bit of talking point when a lot of my friends turned 19 while I was still 17!