Would you feel uncomfortable to have a 17 year old who is on junior in college, in your college class?

Question

I don't feel uncomfortable when I'm in class, but when other's find out my age...its like the flip out on me...they change how they act around me...and it kind of gets on my nerve.

Hey I'm a history and psyc major NOT a ENGLISH major so I CAN spell one or two words incorrectly

Answer 1

As a college professor, I certainly wouldn't be uncomfortable with a 17 year old junior in my class. But I can see some classmates being uncomfortable with it. I see it with some of my classes, where I've got students in their 30's and 40's mixed in with 17, 18, and 19 year olds. The attitude is that the younger ones aren't as serious about their work and tend to disrupt class more with things like talking over me.

Being 17 in classes primarily taken by 19 and 20 year olds isn't really all that bad. It's not like you're 12, which is HUGE gap in age and experience. But 17 is close enough to the 19 to 21 year old range to not make such a drastic difference.

But unfortunately, the attitude of having a "kid" in class just goes with the territory. My advice is to forget about it and just focus on your studies and fit in as best as you can. And just remember, for every one that treates you like a "kid," they'll be another who treates you like an equal!

Answer 2

I'd say they're intimidated. Its their problem... One of my early college roommates was 17 as a sophomore. (she then graduated, pre-med, in 3 yrs) I'm sure there were people who were weird with her, but I don't actually remember that happening. Then again, she tended to act pretty idiosycratically (quite deliberately) so they paid more attention to that than to her age.

She was also the oldest of 12 kids, the youngest of which was born our sophomore year. Yes, everybody who knew her recognized her mom at parents weekend because she was the only mom who was 7 months pregnant.

Anyway, there will people who will be weird with you and people who won't. Keep meeting people and some of them will become your friends. The rest aren't worth worrying about. (some of them will probably get over it after a class or two)

Answer 3

No. Not at all. If the person is capable of the work, then I have no issues. I wouldn't want that person hanging out at college parties with me, and I probably would not choose them as a dorm-mate, but I'd be perfectly fine with a college class.

Answer 4

You know, I was also younger when I attended college (and I successfully got my graduate degrees), and my two children are in college -- in fact, my youngest started taking Dual Enrollment courses at the Local Community College when she was 15 years old. So no, it is not uncomfortable to me or my family.

Answer 5

Not any more, since two of my children attend the same community college as I do. There are people their ages, my age, seniors, and some as young as 14!

Answer 6

Nope I started college when I was 17, and people were actually nicer to me and thought I was a genius...just hold your head up high and realize that your so young if you make a mistake in college you have time to start over...most don't.

Answer 7

A seventeen year old who is a junior in college is hard enough to swallow, but a college student who spells as atrociously as you do - sorry honey. I'm not buying it. Why don't you go play somewhere else.

Answer 8

No, I think it would be fantastic and I'd admire the heck out of the kid!!

Anybody who would feel uncomfortable in my opinion would be the one with the problem: it's called envy/insecurity.

Answer 9

not really. i'd feel more uncomfortable if i was the 17 year old.

Answer 10

I am assuming you are the 17-year old. Hell no! be proud.