Skip to main content
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Age of Most High School Graduates

Hey everyone! I've seen a lot of people talking about being a certain age when they graduate high school. I'm just wondering, what's the typical age for most kids when they finish high school? Is there a difference if you happen to skip a grade or get held back a year? Thanks in advance!

a year ago

In the United States, the majority of students graduate high school around the ages of 17 or 18. This is often due to the fact that students typically start kindergarten at the age of 5 or 6 and follow a 12-year progression through grades K-12.

When it involves students that have skipped a grade, they could potentially graduate at a younger age, typically 16 or 17. Conversely, if a student is held back, they could graduate at an older age, usually 19 or possibly even 20. However, these cases are less frequent and the majority of students stay on track with the traditional 12-year progression.

Each student's journey can be unique, depending on various factors such as their school district's policy, state regulations, personal circumstances, and academic readiness. Some learners may also graduate early if they complete all their required coursework ahead of schedule, while others may elect to stay for an extra year for a variety of reasons; for instance, to take additional courses or to continue participating in high school level athletics.

It's good to remember that every student's journey is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all timeline for education. As long as a student is making progress and learning, that's what counts the most.

a year ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.