“Also it’s not really common to take foreign language in the Philippines. I don’t know anyone from my friends to family to their friends and family.”
Have these friends and family applied to the California public universities?
If so, ask them how they got in?
From the California state university website:
WAIVER OF “LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH” REQUIREMENT
If you can demonstrate competency in a language other than English that is equivalent to or higher than that expected of students who have completed two years of language other than English study, you may be allowed a waiver for this language requirement. For further information, contact the CSU campuses to which you are applying.
Here’s my concern about what you’ve posted.
I know that in junior year, the high schools, in California, try to provide information sessions for their students and their parents.
One of the things that the high schools emphasize, in junior year, is to make sure that those A-G requirements are met.
I know that our high school counselors, at several high schools where I worked, would repeatedly say, “make sure you know the A-G requirements and that you have completed them”. The Rationale was that the A through G requirements would usually get them through, not just California public universities, but also through private and out of state university requirements.
Also if you plan to be a college student you need to read through the diploma requirements for a university when you get to that University. No one is going to hold your hand; counselors are human and they make mistakes so it’s on you to know what those requirements are for graduation and a diploma.
Also, do you meet the requirements for graduation from your high school? That would be my worry at this point, because the California public schools are pretty strict in making sure that you have taken another language before you receive a high school diploma. If they are using your heritage language for graduation then that would be your high school’s way of completing your diploma. It’s very, very different for college admission.
Because you have attended high school in California, for less than three years, my suggestion would be for you to go to a California community college and take foreign language courses along with the courses required to transfer to a California public university. There are no guarantees that the public colleges, at this point, are going to accept you. You may be lacking in other requirements.
Don’t hang this on the counselor. That’s a cop out. At our high school we had 3000 students with eight counselors with a responsibility for 375 students each. Not all of those students planned to go into higher education, but our counselors were swamped and did have a support staff to help. It was never enough but that’s why they held parent and student info sessions constantly.
If you plan to be a university level student, you need to start thinking that you are ultimately responsible for any requirements that are posted all over their websites. They are very clear in their instructions for the most part.
If you have questions, call the University directly; that’s what they’re there for. They have students handling the phones and if you’re not comfortable with a college student answering your question, then ask to speak to a staff member. Be proactive.
The colleges like students who are going to advocate for themselves. We still have phones with audio capabilities so use your handheld to communicate with them.