From birth to age six - Throughout the Republic, standard midiclorian testing is applied to youths from two to six years old, to determine Jedi potential. Some candidates can be selected as early as birth, but training is often delayed to allow for basic motor skill and speech development. Only in the case of orphaned donations to the temple would any younger applicants be cared for. Testing is more concentrated in the inner and mid rim worlds, while extremely irregular on the outer-rim planets. Ideally, the candidate would be selected by the first three years of life .These are the most impressionable years during development. After this time, the mental and physical connections in the brain are made. If these connections and thought patterns are already developed, it becomes much harder to re-train the brain. These 'hard wired' patterns are usually set by about age 10. Not all Jedi adhere to this training doctrine. Some critics of this method raise moral questions such as the parents' right to keep their children and the ethics of shunting a person into a life path before they're old enough to make any informed choice about it. However, such concerns are minor in comparison to the will of the Force, and have been deemed largely irrelevant by the Jedi Council. Until age thirteen - The Jedi initiate is raised and trained in the Jedi Temple, often taught by several Jedi teachers. There they learn to live by the Jedi Code, study the use and techniques of the lightsaber (both construction and use), and receive basic Force training. This continues until age 13 and the initiate is taken as a Padawan Learner. Contact may be maintained with the initiate's family, if deemed appropriate by the temple's teachers. By age thirteen - If the Jedi trainee is not taken by a Jedi Master as a Padawan learner by age thirteen, then the initiate is placed in service to the Republic in something other than as a Jedi. Other assignments include (but are not limited to) Agri Corps, Scouting and Exploration, Medical, Shipyard Construction, Accounting/Administration, and Ambassadorial Aide/Intern. The assignment is dictated by the Jedi Council based on the students aptitudes, as well as their current level of Force ability. Although the dutiful students usually accept these postings, they are not required to. Some dropout initiates choose to return to their homes or set out on their own. The students have no say in if or how the prospective master chooses a Padawan. The most a potential Padawan can hope for is catching rumors of the visit of a Master, and preparing to put their best efforts forward in hopes of being selected. From Padawan Learner to the Trials - More advance training in the Force occurs at this level, plus lightsaber construction techniques and other advanced skills. The Padawan stage of training is no less than 10 years in length, and otherwise will last as long as necessary. If for some reason, a Padawan fails the Jedi trials repeatedly and the master "gives up" and will teach him no more, the Council may assign another master to that student. If the Failure is the Padawan's fault - frustration at the teachers, an inability to cope with the personal restrictions and hardships of Jedi life, and they are not turned to the Dark Side, they may choose to abandon the Jedi way and serve the Republic in a civil service manner similar to a temple dropouts. In this instance, they are closely monitored by the Jedi, due to their potent Force Abilities. If a Padawan's repeated failures are due to the taint of the Dark Side, and they abandon the Jedi way and are turned, then monitoring of their activities is assumed by the Jedi Shadows, who will carry out their duties and kill the fallen Padawan IF REQUIRED. Only if they are an active threat to order and stability, or a threat to innocents by their direct actions, will this extreme measure be taken. If they prey on the Underworld (harming goons and flunkies, willful henchman and the like) the Shadows will not interfere, and merely direct Sector rangers or other local law enforcement agents in response to criminal activity. If Force use against innocents is a direct contributor to that activity, a Shadow may step in and carry out their duty. The Trials - The Trials are intended to be a crucible, a test of character as well as ability. The Trials are not set in stone, they are custom fitted to each Padawan. They are part and parcel tests of the Padawan's commitment, ability, and moral grounds. The Padawan's fears, their hidden wants and needs, their passions, or their tragedies, all are weighed and somewhere among their Psyche lies the key, the measure by which the Council can judge their worthiness. How they deal with the trial, as much as whether or not they physically succeed or fail is the true trial, the true test. For some, accepting failure may be the greatest trial. Normally the Trials are only given to those without the taint of the Dark Side, in the hopes that one mistake will be sufficient warning to drive home the dangers and responsibilities of being a Jedi. Completing the trials without temptation (IE: no Dark Side Points) could be considered an "A" grade. One Dark Side Points would be a "B" or "C" grade, and 2 or more would receive a "D" or "F". Although one would think that a ranked A+ Padawan would be the most desirable outcome, this is not completely the case. The straight A student will have problems of their own - since without failure, there is no chance to learn from your mistakes. These Jedi, although noble and heroic figures, have a fundamental lack of understanding of the Dark Side, and how easy it could be to be lured in. Even if through the course of training or in the aftermath of the trials, if they atone for the stain of evil on their soul gained during the Trials, the experience will have greater value to them and yield a better Jedi in the long run than if they never had face those kinds of risks. Beyond the Trials - If they are successful in the Trials, then the Padawan is granted the title of Jedi Knight. They are given permanent accommodations at the Jedi Temple, and receive assignments according to wishes of the Jedi Council, the Senate or the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. The transition from Jedi Knight to Jedi Master is more than simply taking on a Padawan Learner. The Knight's first Padawan must complete his training, before the Knight can assume the title of Master. However, one must point out the distinction between the title "master" as used by the Padawan when addressing his mentor, and "Jedi Master", the title used between fully trained Jedi and outside the Jedi hierarchy. A Jedi without a current Padawan are encouraged to make an annual visit the Temple to watch the current crop of initiates. They have the option of not selecting a Padawan, but they must periodically appear and review the available candidates. Original document kindly provided by MrHavoc469@aol.com and supplimented by Johannes M. Bowers and the gang off the SWRPG mailing list. Thanks!