Originally Posted by DeeDee
Where I am, the numbers for redshirting are much higher. My young-for-grade kids routinely have classmates up to two years older than they are.
Agreed. This may be fueled, in part, by having many measures reported by "grade level" rather than by "age". Having measures also reported by "age" or only reported by "age" may tend to discourage red-shirting.

Meanwhile, college admissions may be evaluating the accomplishments of 20-year-old applicants as compared with those of students who are 15 or 16 and who therefore may have been too young to qualify for certain internships and experiences (but in some cases may have looked beyond the mainstream to ferret out or create unique opportunities).