terry574

I want to be a classics major and am looking at UChicago, WashU, Brown, Vassar, Wesleyan, and Oberlin.

I love mythology and Roman and Greek civilization and history, as well classical literature in translation, such as Homer's Iliad and Plato's Republic.

I also feel as if classics majors have an advantage in admissions because it is an unpopular major.

However, my grasp on latin is weak. I never thought about majoring in classics until this year, and slacked in the subject my freshman and sophomore year, averaging a B.

My Junior year is as follows
1Q:93
2Q:93
3Q:80 (we had a student teacher. Auggghh!)
4Q: 92
Average: probably a B+/A-

Next year I will be taking Latin V, the highest level offered, but I will not take the Latin Subject test; it's way too hard -I'm much better at the USH, Lit, and Math 1.

Miscellaneus pertaining to Classics:
Medusa Mythology exam award freshman year.
Philosophy club (all highschool)
Might start Mythology club senior year

Will colleges hold my weak latin skills against me, especially because I am not taking the Latin Subject? Should I apply undeclared or under a different major?

Sungchul

If you're particularly close to your Latin IV teacher, ask him/her to write you a recommendation. You can ask that he/she specifically emphasizes a new love for Latin or something. Ask your guidance counselor to talk about your academic growth within a short 4 years and how your interest in Latin grew (he/she can also make note of the student teacher). Take Classics classes at a local college/university over the summer or even during the school year.

Or you can do what I did and focus your essay around what you love--which is what I did.

Sungchul

And if your concern is a weak background in Latin, I think most schools have different tracks within the major. I know at Brown there's a separate more history/anthropological track where only one Latin class needs to be taken (and then there's the Latin track, the Greek track, the Latin and Greek track, and the Sanskrit track).

Archaeologist

I wouldn't say that your background is weak at all. You'd be surprised how many Classics majors come in not knowing any Greek or Latin. Even the freshmen boasting several years of high school Latin quickly get knocked down a peg or two once they have a real college-level Latin course.

theofficeam

You’re in luck. How’s your Greek? Err? Not to good? Well many schools have Classical Greek Civ. Majors where no Greek or Latin is a formal requirement. That means you could tag along another foreign language like German or French and just take some beginner Latin courses, which go as pre nothings, to brush up and to show that you know some on your Grad. School app.

Also, think about dual major in Anthropology or at least a minor. It can show good English, research and critical thinking and some Classicist do field work. If you can imagine that.

Another thing. I think you maybe overestimating how good the average Latin college student is a bit.

drudkh

You're aiming pretty high for a B- average.

URichmond2010

You can always take Latin 101 once you get accepted...