At What Age Do You Go To College?

Can you go to college at any age?

Are you ever too young to go to college?

Or can you be too old to go to college?

Maybe you’re a high school student wanting to get a few college credits to your name before actually starting college. Or perhaps you’re planning to finish high school early and want to go straight to college. 

On the other hand, maybe you’re someone with lots of lived experience. Now you’re finally ready to earn a college degree. 

Fortunately for learners of all ages, colleges and universities enroll students of any age. There are no set age requirements for when students can be admitted to college. 

If you are ready to attend college, there is a college or university that you can enroll in, no matter how young or how old you are. You can go to college at any age!

At what age does the average American go to college?

Traditionally, in the USA, we think of the typical college or university student as being between 18 and 22 years of age.

That varies a little, based on one’s birthday and whether someone completes college in four years. So, the average age range for college students in the US is really 17 to 24 years old.  

However, many colleges and universities regularly admit students at age 16, provided they have graduated from an accredited high school and meet all other admission requirements. 

Colleges and universities will often admit even younger students, provided they are academically, socially, and emotionally prepared for the rigor of college. 

Mature students are quite common at universities in the United States. These nontraditional students make up a sizable percentage of college students. 

Young College Students

Students who are not yet 17 to 18 years old, the typical age for attending college in the US, can start college in one of two ways:

• Take college classes while simultaneously enrolled in high school, known as dual enrollment. 
• Graduate early from high school and enroll in college. 

Dual Enrollment: Starting College in High School

Many high school students start taking some college classes in high school. Dual enrollment classes can be either in-person at the high school, in-person on a university campus, or as an online distance learning course.

Very often, students take classes at their high school, taught by a high school teacher who is certified to teach that particular dual enrollment course.

Sometimes students take classes in-person on a college campus. Often high schools partner with a nearby community college, but some work with nearby private colleges instead.

Students might receive a release from high school to go take an advanced class on a college campus. Or taking multiple college classes might be part of the high school schedule. 

What are the benefits of starting college while in high school?

Many teenagers end up taking a college class or two while they’re in high school, and some even take enough college courses to earn an associate degree. There are several reasons students may choose to start college as a young teen.

To take courses not offered in high school

High schools can’t offer every possible course.

Small high schools don’t have the staff or interested students to justify classes on all particular subjects.

In that situation, students may be able to access course options at a local college or online that aren’t offered by their high school.  

To find academic challenges 

Advanced students might not have access to enough challenging courses in their high school.

For example, a student academically gifted in math might have to take a college math course in order to take Calc 2 during high school. 

To earn college credit

Students can take Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment classes in high school through partnerships with local universities or community colleges. Participating students can earn high school and college credit at the same time.

Students can use those credits if they attend the same college after high school, or try to transfer their credits to a different college. 

Graduating from high school and enrolling in college early

After students earn a high school diploma (or a GED certificate), they may enroll in college, even if it’s at a younger age than the average students’ age. 

It’s possible and normal for students to start college before their 18th birthday, especially if they have a summer or early fall birthday.

Starting college at age 17 is considered to be within the typical age range of university students.

Yes, a seventeen-year-old might be a young college student, but they should be able to handle college undergraduate courses just as well as someone who has already had their eighteenth birthday.

Enrolling in college as a young teen

Some students are ready to being college at age 16 or even younger.

This typically happens when students are academically advanced and skip a grade. 

Some students find that high school is not a good learning environment for them, so they work hard to finish early so they can start college. 

What to expect when starting college as a minor

No special treatment from professors 

As a young teen attending college at the undergraduate level, expect to be treated just like every other college student.

Unless you look particularly young, your professors probably won’t even know that you are younger than other students. You’ll be expected to take on full-time courses, just like the other students. 

Young students might find that professors at smaller schools are more attentive and more available to their students, as compared to professors at large universities. 

Parents are still legally responsible

Universities no longer act in loco parentis, so parents or legal guardians of minors will maintain parental responsibility for children who have not yet turned 18.

Parents will have to take legal responsibility for tuition fees, dorm contracts, and other legal documents. 

Fitting in

Relatively young college students may have trouble fitting in with a social group in college. Or they may finally feel like they’ve found their people.

Plan to join clubs, participate in study groups, and go to fun campus events. Making friends may be easy or challenging. Just know that it might take time, and don’t beat yourself up if it’s a little harder than you expected.

pros and cons to starting college as a young teen

Pros of starting college young

Start Early, finish early 

Students who start college earlier will be able to either attend graduate school or begin working before many of their peers. This will put them on a path to increasing their work experience and lifelong earning power. 

Motivated learners

Students who have graduated early from high school and are ready for college are motivated learners. They typically have intense intellectual curiosity and demonstrable skills of critical analysis. 

These students are ready for the challenges of college classes and crave focused study of their subject of interest. 

By choosing the right college, they can continue on to postgraduate studies and earn advanced degrees sooner than their peers. 

Cons to starting college young

Maturity

At age 16 or 17, students might not be emotionally mature enough to face some of the challenges of college.

A very young person might feel a bit unprepared to deal with college students who are two or three years older than they are. 

Social life

Very young college students can find it difficult to have a good social life at college. When a lot of people around you are two to seven years older than you are, it might be hard to find your friend group. 

Obviously, college is known for activities that aren’t appropriate or even legal for minors to participate in. So young college students need to take a mature approach to their social lives and find a good group of friends with similar interests. 

Young college students should be aware that they might need extra emotional support from their families to navigate the complexities of college .

Homesickness

Sometimes younger college students struggle with homesickness more than older college students do. This might be because they’ve spent less time away from home or because they lack the maturity required to deal with some aspects of college. For these students, Parents Weekend can’t come soon enough!

What are admissions requirements for starting college very young?

Part of the admission process for young teens will be just the same as for any other applicant. Colleges want to see the high school transcript, letters of recommendation, test scores (sometimes optional), and personal essays. 

While there is no standard minimum age for students to begin their college education, colleges set their own admission standards.

When considering which universities to apply to, talk with each college’s admissions counselor about your age before starting the application procedure. Some universities do readiness evaluations of underage students before accepting them.

Ask to see what support services a college has in place to help minor students adjust to the college environment. 

Should young college students live at home or on campus?

Students who enroll in college at a particularly young age may not be prepared for life in a college dorm. It might be a good idea for the student to live in the family home and commute to their university. 

Attending college as a non-residential student allows young students to attend college, either on campus or virtually, without living on campus during the academic year. 

If a student wants to have the full on-campus residential experience, and parents agree, they should request student accommodation that provides as much support as possible.

For example, choose a dorm with an RA or a living learning community. 

Best tip for starting college as a young student

Consider small liberal arts colleges (SLACs). These colleges have fewer students than large state universities.

Many focus on having a strong community feel, supportive faculty and staff, and mentoring opportunities. Unlike large state universities, at SLACs, faculty focus on undergraduate education. 

Many students find that small liberal arts colleges (SLACs) provide much greater support than large public universities do. 

Mature College students

When is it too late to start college? 

Guess what? It’s actually never too late to start college. 

Older students can enroll at most colleges, even at many small liberal arts colleges typically associated with the traditional 18 to 22 year old students. 

Most larger universities actively recruit older people to enroll.

Many provide college scholarships and extra resources to help mature students who are either returning to college or enrolling for the first time. 

Some universities even provide college credit for life experience!

Why do adults enroll in college?

Starting for the first time

Many mature college students didn’t have the opportunity to attend college right out of high school. Perhaps they wanted to work and pursue a career. 

They might have not had enough money necessary to attend college when they were younger. 

Adult learners who enroll in undergraduate programs are often doing so because they understand the financial benefits of earning a bachelor’s degree. 

Finishing college

Sometimes students who start college soon after graduating from high school don’t graduate from college.

Students leave college for personal and financial reasons. Some decide to return after working, having a family, or traveling.

Whether students take time away from college for a year or a decade, many return to complete their degree or to study a completely different major. 

Advancing a career

Sometimes mature students decide to enroll in college to earn a degree required by their chosen profession. It might be that they need the degree to work in the field of their choice or they need a degree to advance their career. 

Adult students who are already bachelor’s degree holders may want to earn a master’s degree so they have more job opportunities and can earn a higher salary.

Changing careers

Similarly, an older adult may decide to go back to school after years in the workplace, so they can earn a degree that will allow them to change careers.

Many mature students find that as they’ve gotten older they’d like to do a different kind of work, but they need a degree in that field. 

Students who attend college with such a specific goal in mind tend to be focused students with excellent study skills. 

International students 

Many international students attend college in the USA as older students. Sometimes they have already completed an undergraduate degree in their home country and are in the US to earn another bachelor’s degree, and sometimes they are earning a master’s degree. 

International students often face challenges when applying for a student visa. They may have to meet entry requirements and show evidence of funds to pay for tuition and other expenses.

For fun

Some older students enroll in college just because they want to. Perhaps at the end of a career or after fulfilling family obligations, these students want to pursue a dream for themselves. 

What are the benefits of going to college as a mature student?

Having years of real-world experience, either in the workplace or just in the school of life, can be very helpful for older college students. Mature students have:

Time Management skills

Mature students often have to balance their college classes with job and family responsibilities. They are used to navigating tight schedules and being deliberate with their time.

They know how to manage classes, labs, reports, homework, exams, and group assignments. Because mature students have more experience balancing demands on their time, they are often able to prioritize assignments and maintain a solid overall course grade.

A Purpose

Adults who have made the choice to go to college have usually thought long and hard about why they’re going to college.

Mature students have clear goals about their college experience because they have a better sense of what they want their lives to be like. 

Whether beginning college for the first time or returning after taking some time off, adult students know why they’re in college and what they want from the experience.

Staying focused on their goal can help them stay motivated and on task. 

Perspective

Mature students have seen a lot of life already. They have more perspective on the frustrations and disappointments of college life than many students of traditional age do.

For example, older students are less likely to get caught up in the potential drama of college social life or to be upset by a particularly demanding professor. 

Best tip for attending college as a mature student

Just start! Going to college as an adult might not be easy and it might take a long time to earn your degree. But in the end, you’ll be so glad you did!

FAQs about What Age Do You Go to College?

What is the earliest someone can start college?

Students can enroll in college at any age, as long as they are ready for the challenges of college. 

While there is no minimum age requirement, students must have the intellectual and emotional maturity, as well as critical social skills, necessary to take college classes and participate in college life.

How old do you have to be to apply for college?

There is no minimum age you have to be to go to college. If a university receives federal funding, they cannot discriminate on the basis of age. 

However, schools may have readiness requirements and selective admissions policies. In other words, colleges select candidates who are prepared to be successful undergraduate students. 

If you are considering starting college early, contact the admissions department to get more information on each school’s specific policies.

Is there a maximum age to enroll in college?

There is no upper age limit on when someone can go to college.

I love these inspiring stores about older students! They proved there’s no age limit on pursuing your dream of college. 

Ready to finish high school but not ready to start college? 

Consider a gap year as an exchange student!

There’s nothing quite like living in another country to help a young person mature! At the same time, you’ll improve your existing language skills or learn a completely new language. 

Tips for students of any age

Get connected

Network with your peers (of all ages) and your professors.

The connections you make in college can lead to a wide variety of opportunities in later years.

You can learn as much from talking to and getting to know your fellow students and your professors as you do from books and lectures. 

Moreover, finding friends and people you can connect with makes college more fun. Take advantage of all the opportunities at college for friendships and mentoring relationships. 

Ask about scholarships and funding

Colleges offer scholarships for many reasons to attract a diverse student body. Research scholarship opportunities at the colleges that interest you.

Federal financial aid is available to all students, regardless of age. 

Explore

College is an opportunity to explore your interests and learn for the sake of learning. You can take classes in almost any topic that interests you!

Plan for your Career

Attending college opens up internship possibilities and networking opportunities. 

College graduates have a better chance of getting a job in their chosen profession and more earning potential than students who only graduated from high school. 

Final thoughts about when to go to college

No matter your age, you can go to college.

If you are young student on an accelerated path through high school, you’ll be able to find a college that is a great fit for you and your interests.

If you are a mature student attending college for the first time or finishing a degree you started many years ago, there is a college for you too.

Best of luck with your college experience!