Age

[nugget3]

Just wondering if it would be inappropriate to mention age in an SOP? I skipped a grade and began college when I was 17, so I thought that might be interesting to casually mention, ie "A semester into my freshman year at the age of 17, I began researching in Dr. X's lab..."

Thanks!

[Bearcat1]

They have your birthdate, so they can figure it out. Unless it had some impact on your academic career, I wouldn't mention it. If you were significantly older or younger than your peers, it might be something you could work into a diversity statement for schools that require one, but I don't think one year makes much of a difference, and I don't think adcoms are interested in what you achieved prior to college.

[ktel]

I don't think it's worth mentioning at all. It's also not that uncommon. I was 17 when I started university. There's also some threads around here that suggest not mentioning your age if you're really young. You may be proud that you started college so early, but some adcomms might question your maturity or ability or whatever. You want your work to speak for itself.

[emmm]

never mind -- the advice you've already been given is fine...

Edited November 12, 2012 by emmm