Should I go to college out-of-state?

You'll be fine no matter where you go.

It only has to be weird if you make it weird.

Go to the college in the state you prefer. This is not a big thing ...also some students take a gap year meaning they take a year off between high school and college for a variety of reasons...last year many students did thus because of covid....however some to work and save money , maybe they are unsure of which school

In any case you are not that different in age and others sometimes start a year later.

Listen, my school (57 years ago) had a Spring cut off. I was sent to kindergarten at the age of 4. I didn't turn 5 until May, just before school ended. At age 5, I was in Grade 1. After 3 weeks, and only because I could read the 1st and 2nd grade books (Dick, Sally and Spot - stupid, repetitive books), I was sent to grade 2. So I was 5 in grade 2. Really bad idea for lots of reasons (math, social development, etc).

The reason, though, why I'm telling you this is that not only was I basically 2 years younger than everyone else, but I was tiny. Kids didn't want to play with 'little kids' It all turns out okay because you adjust - become the class clown, the smartest, fastest, whatever. Overall, it evens out. It's all just how you look at it. Or don't look at it.

It could be a lot worse. You could be an orphan. You could be living in Yemen. You could be living in a war zone. You could be blind.

I don't mean to make light of your feelings, because I do know, firsthand, what you're talking about. What I'm trying to help you do is to put it in perspective. It's only a big deal because you're making it a big deal. As time goes on, nobody usually asks you how old you are or why you're older than everyone else.

This is something that you've taken to heart and I'm suggesting it's not that big a deal, so maybe look at it differently.

"The reason, though, why I'm telling you this is that not only was I basically 2 years younger than everyone else, but I was tiny. Kids didn't want to play with 'little kids'"

Whatever size you were when you were 5 and in 2nd grade, you would've been the same size the age in 1st grade or Kindergarten. The same kids who were bigger than you would have still been bigger than you even if you hadn't been accelerated.

"As time goes on, nobody usually asks you how old you are or why you're older than everyone else."

Whether they know it or not doesn't matter. What matters is what the facts are. If a tree falls in the forest, it makes a sound regardless of whether or not anyone's around to hear it. If I go to college in my state, I'm still a year behind regardless of whether or not anyone else knows it.

Over time, a year doesn't make that much difference.

What if you didn't walk until you were 2? Does that matter, too?

Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and metal retardation. These are things you should look out for in delayed child walking.

Concerns about that type of thing fade away as you get older, and that includes college. No one is going to care which side of the cut off you're on. You should go to college out of state if you want to go to a college that's out of state. I wouldn't let your age/grade level affect the decision. Go to the college that seems like the best fit to you.