<p>I am a few years older than many of the people in my cohort. This is viewed very positively by faculty when I first meet them; they assume that more age=more maturity and experience. But ultimately, first impressions don’t last forever and I have to confirm their impressions with what I do. I don’t think being extraordinarily young will be an insurmountable challenge to you in grad school. I suspect that when you get past the initial meetings with people, you will have a legitimate opportunity to convince them you aren’t some punk teenager who thinks they know everything.</p>