school years = how old is hermione??

[Barb]

No: HPFGUIDX 28097

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Nicola Isham <nicola_isham at y...> wrote:
> well..just to throw a spanner in the works I also am
> English and went to school in England.  I was one of
> several people who were 'young for my year' - not an
> uncommon phenomenon.  I was born in January so in
> theory should have been towards the older end of my
> year (Assuming they start counting around September). 
> However, i was actually a year ABOVE that - so in my
> final year of school when everyone turned 18, I turned
> 17 - and there were heaps of people I knew the in same
> position.  [snip]

It's a spanner I quite welcome!  Testimony from one who knows.  On a 
marginally-related topic, there is now a required minimum age for 
entry to U.S. colleges/universities (unfortunately I cannot remember 
whether it is 10 or 12 years of age) because of there being younger 
students (child prodigies) who were being admitted who were not 
emotionally ready for the academic rigor.  (These were kids who were 
teaching themselves calculus when they were five years old, but they 
couldn't take it when a professor started playing devil's advocate 
and arguing vehemently with them.)  

I could easily picture Hermione's parents being at a loss for what to 
do with her academically (she was probably bored to tears in primary 
school) and welcoming the Hogwarts admissions news with open arms.  
It would both explain any peculiar events in her childhood and give 
her a place to study where she would be challenged.  

--Barb
(who set Hermione's birth year as 1980 in her fic before she had any 
clue there was debate on this issue)