I just met a Russian girl who started her PhD two months ago and is only 18.

What do people think? Amazing that she has the ability to do a PhD so young, or she shouldn't be growing up so fast?

Personally I think that she shouldn't be growing up so fast.. I think with something liek a PhD from what I can gather that life experience and maturity is just as important as academic ability.

I often feel that perhaps these child prodigies miss out on various aspects of their lives.

Also If she is starting now and she is 18 by the time she is done she'll be 21/22.. Would her peers take her seriously? As I have heard of young postdocs struggling to get a foothold in their research community.

I feel quite sorry for, really.

A little bit of both I guess. Technically she's an adult. Everybody's different so I guess it doesnt matter what people think about age as long as you are mature enough and emotionally developed enough to cope with the pressures of a PhD. I'd feel sorry for anyone younger than 18 becasue it takes up so much time and you probably would miss out on growing up. Your friends just wouldn't have a clue what you were doing or why you were doing it so you might miss out on some much needed support at a time in your life when you rely so much on peer opinion, social inclusion etc. If a younger teen or child was practically tied to a desk / lab all the time surrounded by much older people it could have a long term impact on social development. On one I'd think it's amazing but on the other I'd wonder about how it would affect someone younger than 18.

I am the youngest in my faculty and I really feel it. Everyone else is a good bit older because some of them did several MSc's and others worked for a while before. I came without a MSc and feel like a child. On my first day I was faced with some resentful comments & questions about how did I think it was fair that I got into a PhD with no MSc and that when I finish I'll be younger than them when they started. As such I am slightly excluded. I feel that some of the other students and also my sups don't take me seriously because of my age. I'm 23 but it doesnt help that I look about 18. So I'd wonder about other people's reactions to anyone significanty younger not only when they are a postdoc but also during the PhD.

I don't know what you're worrying about - I turned 15 in September and my PhD is going fine

You're 23 and you're the youngest?

I'm the youngest here too - but I'm 21! Everyone else seems to have taken a year out at some point...!

I guess you'd all feel quite young if you were doing your PhD in Germany - people here are generally 25 or older when they start...

I don't think a normal 18-year old could handle the demands of a PhD, but then there are always people who are more mature than their biological age, so why not? Even though I always feel so old hearing about these youngsters

I just think if you're that much younger when you do your undergrad and PhD you miss out on most of the social side of uni which I think is pretty important. It's where you learn to be independent and make really good friends etc, can't imagine that happening when you are three years younger (at least) than everyone around you.

As Marbeaux stated- I Germany you all would be looked upon as child geniuses. Therefore I hate you all (with the exception of everone over 27, thanks).

Maybe we'd all have started our PhDs earlier if we hadn't spent our undergrad days drunk in the student bar...

I wonder if she had much of a life. I would guess that her parents really pushed her, made her work all the time and gave her tutors and stuff. Esp if she has as many qualifications as people usually get at 21.

Also, dont these kids usually excel only in one thing but thats it. Kind of excel at maths but thats it. All one subject. Surely they miss out on other subjects, esp if they are rushed up. Cant help to make a well rounded person, and may affect other skills such as writing ability etc.

Once in the real world though, it will mean very little I think apart from being a bit younger and the prestige of saying it. After all, it will all be down to your actual ability to do stuff in many settings (and hard to get respect in academia), not how fast you passed your exams (after all, she excels now, but the chances are her old classmates will catch up with her eventually (well, those who go on to do a PhD in her field)

Still, good on her to do it, and maybe she excels at everything so none of this is a problem.

Anongerman, I'm 26.5, do you hate me too?

I think I agree with the others, I think it would be difficult for someone so young to do a phd as other people in their group would resent them and not take them seriously. I'm glad I worked in industry for two years, sometimes I have a bit of an edge over people who have gone straight on to a phd.

Awww H- youre lovely, really.

I've just turned 33, am writing up, don't have a boy friend (or girl friend, as a matter of fact), would like to have a child = mild form of mid life chrisis. That's all.