Older and Wiser? Relative Age and Success in High School and College

Abstract

Slightly missing a school starting age cutoff date, and more generally a student's relative age in their cohort, has been shown in recent research to have important effects. A student's relative age appears to influence their academic success in elementary and middle school, and there is mixed evidence some of these disparities continue into adult labor markets. The time in between, especially one's collegiate years, have been less studied. How far into life relative age effects consistently persist therefore remains an open question. We use a nationwide sample of students from 619 institutions to examine if relative age is related to success in high school and college. Results show the oldest students within a cohort earn slightly better average grades in high school and college and are significantly less likely to fail college courses. We also find mixed evidence that relative age is related to college entrance exam performance.