According to his school they have gotten plenty of kids into T20 schools with one year or less of foreign language. The school offers the minimum one year of Spanish to kids that want to take it. I know of kids from this cycle that got into some amazing schools. As with all high schools, they send the course book and school guide along with transcripts so schools review applications in the context of the schools curriculum and offerings.
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Less selective colleges may recommend or even “require” several years of a foreign language but many of them are willing to accept students with no foreign language. My D22 went half-days to a Career and Technical school and took her academic courses online. She had no foreign language, even in middle school. She was accepted to all the schools to which she applied (5 private, 3 public), and received scholarships to all but one.
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If you are looking at a top 20 school I think your son should focus on rigor.
While your school sends kids to top 20 schools is your son taking courses along that same trajectory?
Does he have a chance to get an advanced regents with mastery in math or science or math and science?
You said he has 2 science regents. If he has not taken regents chem or physics, he should because they are college readiness metrics
If he can take English comp through college now
Or is AP English an option for EES87/88 option
Does your school offer AP govt ?
Does his CTE align with his interest as a major in college? If yes, can he take a college course?
He is taking APs (APUSH/AP Bio). He has taken three science regents, more than what is required (Living Environment, Bio, Chem). He is also in honors english course and college math. He is taking three more APs senior year. There is no concern with rigor. My only concern was the original one about language and that was answered by his school and the NYSED site.
Science regents are
Living Environment
earth Science
Chem
Physics
There is bio regents
He has met the graduation requirement for foreign language so everything is all go
A college that requires more than one year or level 1 foreign language for admission would not automatically accept fulfillment of high school graduation requirements as satisfying their admission requirements.
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My information is dated. My son was a very strong student (much better than top of the high school class intellect) and also severely dyslexic. In middle school, he struggled through Latin – he would make spelling mistakes in a root and be docked for each use – and Spanish – he just could not hear the sounds. He just could not do foreign languages and the neuropsychologist who did his testing said that he should not study foreign languages. My son wanted to study Spanish in HS (so he did not look like an abnormal kid). I met with the head of the Spanish about the lower track Spanish. He said, “Based upon your son’s profile, he will work very hard, get A’s and leave HS knowing no Spanish.” So, we chose to give language a pass.
He applied primarily to Top 20 schools (including several Ivies and NESCACs). I called most of the school’s admissions offices and explained the situation and said he would not have a foreign language (a number of them had a language requirement). All said that it was OK not to have a language but he would have to show that he did something really challenging instead. No school said that he needed to have a language to get in. Some of those school had their own foreign language requirements for graduation.
So the message is clearly rigor. Whether omitting a language works if you don’t have an excuse, I don’t know. But I suspect that the trick will be showing exceptional use of the time that would have been spent studying Spanish.
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What I have learned from working with parents is choose your battles.
OP is ok with his/her child’s courses and rigor so u gotta be ok with it too.
My kid went to a non-CTE top NYCPs graduated with an advanced regents diploma, foreign language including AP in her foreign language. (I graduated from a specialized high school over 40 years ago with an advanced regents with 3 years of foreign language and not much has changed).
Parent has met with the GC who has explained the multiple pathways to graduation and is happy. What students will find out soon enough is even if their pool is not wide, the talent will be deep.
@sybbie719 could you explain what a CTE high school is, for those of us who have no idea!
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Of course! It is a Career and Technical Education school. My son’s is focused on art. There are others that focus on careers in health, computer science, TV and film, etc.
Along with all of the usual classes he takes a double period of art every since day. His transcript shows that he also passed the advanced Photoshop certification exam. While not planning to apply to art school, he does plan to submit an art portfolio to show his additional interests and skills. He plans to minor in studio art/visual art where possible.
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Yet, kids in my son’s school are accepted to prestigious schools with 2+ years as a requirement with less than that. I am reassured by what the guidance counselor shared and with the admissions I’ve seen. My son is taking the most rigorous course load available at THEIR particular school and that seems to be acceptable to most if not all colleges.
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A resource for those reading this thread in the future:
Concordia Language Villages
Multiple languages offered in a camp setting over the summer. Can do for credit or for fun. Sessions range from 1 week to 1 month. Super enjoyable and super high quality. Not cheap, but there is financial aid.
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Find out if your school uses, Naviance, Xello, Overgrad, etc. This way you can get a snapshot of the type of student, that got accepted at a particular school.
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