Is 20 too old to be a freshman in college? | All your questions answered (2024)

by Noah

No. No, no, no. No. 20 is not too old to start college. At any college, there will be plenty of freshmen who are 18, sure—but you’ll also find people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, (you get the point).

When you go to college, you’ll quickly find that the student body wasn’t nearly as uniform age-wise as it was in high school. People decide its time to pursue higher education at all ages, from all points in life.

In fact, according to Statista, the share of individuals enrolling in college in their 20s and later has been ticking up for decades. In 2019, 28.6% of Americans aged 22-24 were enrolled in college, as were 11% of Americans aged 25-29.

Is 20 too old to be a freshman in college? | All your questions answered (1)
Find more statistics at Statista

Will I be able to make friends if I start college in my twenties?

One of the beautiful parts of college is that you get to meet hundreds of people that are different from you—but you also are able to discover firsthand that there are countless people out there in the same exact position as you. That means that if you start college in your twenties, or in any stage of your life, for that matter, you’ll be able to find other students that are at the same stage in life as you.

To make friends your age at college… do the things you like doing! If you’re interested in certain clubs, events, or extracurriculars, chances are other people your age will be into those things, as well.

To get some ideas about the types of clubs you might be able to make friends through joining, check out this great write-up from thebestschools.org, which highlights:

  • the school paper
  • political clubs (dependent on your affiliations)
  • social justice advocacy clubs
  • academic clubs (dependent on your area of study)
  • student government

Outside of school, you might want to try some different bars from the other students. In other words, instead of frequenting that shady dive bar that serves minors, try something a bit more… mature.

The other thing to keep in mind is that 20 isn’t that far away from 18. In other words, you might find that you find it more natural to make friends with people a couple years younger or older than you than you did in high school, where the maturity gap was much more pronounced.

Can I live on campus as a 20-year old freshman?

While there might be the odd college with atypical housing eligibility requirements, most colleges do not set strict age restrictions for living in dorms.

Harvard’s housing eligibility page, for example, mentions nothing about age limits.

With that being said, if you’re in your late twenties or older, the housing department at your school is unlikely to pair you with an 18-year old roommate. As someone who was once an 18-year old roommate myself, I can confirm that you should take this as a win.

Is 20 too old to be a freshman in college? | All your questions answered (2)

Noah graduated Summa Cum Laude from Worcester state University with a Communications major and Writing minor. At school, he was the Executive Editor of the online newspaper, a tutor at the school’s writing center, and an all-around good guy. He is the Founder and Content Manager of Edu FAQs, and is here to clear up your questions and make your college experience as exciting as it is educational.

More College FAQs

Is 20 too old to be a freshman in college? | All your questions answered (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of 20 year olds go to college? ›

Of those aged 20 to 21 years of age in the United States, 52.8 percent were enrolled in higher education as of 2020, a considerable increase when compared to 31.9 percent in 1970. For those aged 18 to 19, 49 percent were enrolled in higher education in 2020.

What grade would a 20 year old be in college? ›

The term sophom*ore is also used to refer to a student in the second year of college or university studies in the United States; typically a college sophom*ore is 19 to 20 years old.

Is 20 a normal age to start college? ›

Because of this, the idea of a normal age to start college has to be taken with a grain of salt; people usually start their college education at ages between 16 and 40, so there's a lot of range to consider.

Is going to college at 20 too old? ›

There is no age limit to apply to college, just as there's no age limit to start college. This means that you can enroll in college at any age.

What is the average age of college freshmen? ›

In summary, while 18 is the most common age for college freshmen, it does vary and you'll likely find students of different ages in your cohort.

What percentage of college students are over 21? ›

The takeaway here is difficult to grasp right away from the way the data is presented — 60% of undergraduate students are 21 or older.

What year is a 21 year old in college? ›

In the United States, 21-year-old college students typically find themselves in their junior or third year of college, as the legal drinking age is 21 and most students enter college around the age of 18.

What grade are you in at 21? ›

Overview
Grade Level CodeGrade LevelError: Outside of Maximum Age Range
090Grade 9> 18
100Grade 10> 19
110Grade 11> 21
120Grade 12> 22
12 more rows

What age should a sophom*ore be? ›

On average, most 10th graders are between the ages of 15 and 16 years old. But it can vary depending on factors like when students started kindergarten, academic acceleration or delayed entry into school.

Is 22 a bad age to start college? ›

It's not too late, and you won't be out of place. Many of your classmates may even be much older. I take it that you mean University. I started at 23 and although I was the eldest I was not in any way made to feel out of place.

Is 21 a good age to start college? ›

The answer is: Yes, 21 is a good age to start college! At this stage in life, many individuals start to notice a connection between stability, personal aspirations, and maturity which could lead to a unique college journey diverging from the traditional route taken right after high school.

What age do most people finish college? ›

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average age of college graduation in the United States is 24 years old. However, this number can vary widely depending on a range of factors, such as the type of degree program, field of study, and region of the country.

What percent of 20 year olds go to college? ›

What percent of people go to college? In 2022, 39% of 18-24-year-olds were enrolled in college.

Is starting college at 20 weird? ›

As others have said, the age isn't really a big deal though. If you had something else going on, and were just starting college at 20, no problem.

Do 22 year olds go to college? ›

The good news is that not only is it possible to start college as an older adult, but it's also increasingly common. It's a misconception that most first-year college students are 18.

What percent of 25 year olds have a college degree? ›

General attainment of degrees/diplomas
EducationAge 25 and overAge 25-30
High school diploma or GED89.80%92.95%
Some college61.28%66.34%
Associate degree45.16%46.72%
Bachelor's degree34.98%36.98%
3 more rows

Is it normal to graduate at 20? ›

Students typically graduate from upper secondary educa- tion in their late teens and from tertiary education by their mid-20s. However, in a number of countries some students study well beyond these age ranges.

What percent of 23 year olds have a college degree? ›

Highlights from the longitudinal survey include: During the October when they were 23 years old, 23 percent of women had earned a bachelor's degree, compared with 14 percent of men. (See table 1.) earned a bachelor's degree by age 23, while 23 percent were no longer enrolled in college.

How many 21 year olds graduate college? ›

4% of 20- to 23-year-olds who enroll in bachelor's programs graduate within five years. 4% of 24- to 29-year-olds who enroll graduate within five years; those who are 30 years and older have a college graduation rate of 16.4%.

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