For many people, high school is the opportunity to start dating and finding romance. One of the things students tend to learn the hard way is what age gaps are appropriate to have when dating while still in school. 

Many people have different opinions about what ages should be allowed to have romantic relationships together. These opinions can depend on many things, especially past experiences.

An inappropriate age gap to have a physical intimate relationship in high school is one where both parties are more than two years apart. This is an inappropriate age gap because a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old are going to be at very different maturity levels. While the 14-year-old is fresh out of middle school, the 17-year-old could be a senior who has had lots of time and experience in high school. The 14-year-old has had a lot less time to develop and gain maturity compared to the 17-year-old. Some issues that come with this age difference are miscommunication, with the younger party being naive and susceptible to getting taken advantage of.

An appropriate age gap to have would be a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, with being the same age and having no age gap at all being preferred. This ensures that the people dating will have very similar maturity levels and will be developing their brains at the same time. It is more socially acceptable to be dating someone who is two years older or younger than you and only be one grade apart, rather than dating someone who is two years and two grades apart from you. 

Appropriate age gaps all depend on who is judging or seeing your relationship. Some people will argue that relationships should be almost exactly the same age or that a few years is not too bad of an age gap. Other people also have different opinions just based on their own past and history that either went well or not. 

In essence, it is important when dating to not have too big of an age gap otherwise the maturity between the two people will not be on the same level or developing at the same time.