Effects of being a bit older on admissions/my options?

Applying to College
1

<p>I had a very complex and confusing middle/high school story. Firstly, I took pre-k as well as K which made me already older then average. Also, due to extreme anxiety issues in 7th grade I left public school and shut down completely for the rest of the school year, doing essentially nothing. I was held back due to that. My anxiety continued to effect me and slow me down for years until about 6 months ago when I fixed all of my issues and am extremely motivated. Due to being held back and taking Pre-K I will be 20 years old when I enter as a freshman in college in a little over a year. Will colleges hold this against me in the admission process or will it not matter?</p>

<p>Also, I have a 2100 SAT, all A’s in a tutors homeschooling program, with a 3.75 gpa in spanish 1 and 2 at the local community college. Those stats plus 3-5 average-above average SAT subject tests but the bare minimum number of high school credits (around 22-23) should get me into how good/what kind of a school (meaning example of schools I could likely get into)</p>

<p>I have nothing/no one to compare my situation too so I am essentially clueless as to what my options are. Any and all opinions are welcomed. Thanks so much.</p>

2

<p>The short answer is “no.” In fact, as I read your story, there are all sorts of very effective ways that you could incorporate your journey into the narrative of your personal statement. You’ll only be a year older than most of your classmates, so this is not much of an issue at all.</p>

<p>And, to give you some perspective, a friend and classmate of mine here at Yale graduated last year. He was the last of his siblings to finish college, and his mother said, “I wish I had gone to college too,” so she applied to Yale and was admitted as an incoming freshman… she was 58. See, you’re practically a child. ;)</p>

3

<p>Your age will really not hurt you. Start looking at colleges as people normally would. Start searching for schools based on your GPA/SAT scores, what you will need in financial aid, personal preferences regarding size, location, major, extra-curriculars, etc. 20 is not a big deal. At the high school of my S, 19 is a very common age for kids that did not take time off, and many kids are held back here to make them more competitive in sports.</p>