Being older than your classmates in high school

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi. I’m older than my classmates. I’m a junior, but agewise I’m supposed to be a senior. And this really affects my self-esteem. Whatever I do, some immature friends and even myself say: since you’re older than everyone, it’s obvious that you should be better than them. So whatever achievement I make, I am not entirely happy with it.
This is because I semi-repeated freshman year. I came from a foreign country which has different grade systems from America, and I came to America in February after finishing 8th grade. I thought I would be freshman for 4 months, and then be sophomore the following September, but it turned out I couldn’t get credits in four months. So I was freshman for a year and four months.
My college chances, given that I’m a junior, isn’t that bad. But, I’m afraid the colleges will be like my immature friends, cross their arms, and say:
But you’re older than everyone else. Of course you have better achievements than them.</p>

<p>Would the colleges actually think that?</p>

2

<p>No. (Nor do they cut you any slack on being younger.)</p>

3

<p>You’re seriously overthinking this. Whether you get accepted or rejected — 100% won’t depend on your age. It doesn’t matter – only in your social circle and in your perception does it matter. No where else. Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Agree that a one year (or so) age difference probably won’t even be noticed. Plenty of American parents made the decision to “hold back” their kids before first grade, plenty graduate hs at 19.</p>

5

<p>Many students who move to the US graduate HS “late”. I even know of one who had finished a year of university in her home country who chose to enroll in HS here for a year in order to be able to learn English for free. She was able to do that in her new school district because she was still young enough to fall into the age range for compulsory school attendance.</p>