Well i took 3 ap FL tests so perhaps i could shed some light.
I felt like anybody with a B1 knowledge of french or spanish could pass those respective language APs with a 3 or 4. However i must say that the listening and oral part would be challenging to anybody (to get high marks) who doesnt at least hear the news in the language on a semi-regular basis. I feel like a 5 on it could either indicate a B2 level of the language or somebody who just really studied hard for that particular test.
As for Chinese AP, if you know the HSK5 word list you will be 100% fine. HSK5 technically translates to C1 but i personally feel it’s more linear to a mixture of B1 and B2.
As for the russian test at B2 (TORFL II), it was hhhhhhaaaaarrdddd. It felt like a C1 test tbh. I’ll give some advice: know how to write cursive cyrillic, watch russian movies and know your grammar WELL because other wise you will flunk the grammar part (i actually just passed that part and i consider myself good)
I agree that the accomplishments are unusual. However, from the original post, it’s not impressive enough to move the acceptance needle from 5-7% to anywhere near 25%. As a European, which another poster mentioned, most of us speak multiple languages. However, it might be a great topic for an essay.
That should be pretty much a given. Unlike English, printing is extremely uncommon in Russian.
@skieurope I don’t think the number is unusual. I do think that those combination of languages, however, is. In that list are 3 (4) classified as critical languages: Hindi/Urdu, Russian, and Chinese. As far as admissions goes, though, I have pretty much ignored that entire part of the conversation. No one is a psychic and I really don’t care. I pretty much ignore anything to do with elite-isms.
I am definitely with @skieurope on this one. That would be an obvious given. My dd is currently a B1 and everything she writes is cyrillic cursive. ??? And considering that Russian is almost as grammar controlled as Latin, I’m not sure why one wouldn’t expect to know grammar well. ??? Based on this post, I am guessing you have gaps in your skills.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek I was not thinking about the actual languages since the OP stated
So we really don’t know what the actual languages are. Not that it matters, IMO. While being proficient in some critical languages could help snag some great internships and, perhaps a job after graduation, for the admissions process at HYP, which was the OP’s question, I don’t see this as that meaningful. Still impressive, though.
The languages are nice. Then what? The app and supps are a delicate balance, not just a brag. What have you done besides pursue your own interests, some clubs, and a little volunteering? What will make them like you as an individual who contributes, want you in their community, after they see the langs? This includes how you relate to others, not where they fall in competition with you.
Lots of kids say, “I didn’t do anything astonishing like start a business or run an NGO or publish something on the huffpost.” It’s a reflection of how they really don’t know much about what these schools look for. Okay, common mistake. But I really almost stopped at the comment about the endowments. Come up with a better Why Us answer.
Lots of kids do have multiple langs. Some by circumstances and some by intent. In itself, not a tip. It’s one aspect.
And remember, the essays, all the writing, is about what shows, not just what you tell them about your interests. Be careful.
Food for thought: With your broad linguistic knowledge, you’d be an asset to any comparative literature program. At the graduate level, literary translation would also be an interesting direction.
International relations is also a great application of your talents. I’m just throwing some outside-the-box ideas your way to stir the pot.
Yes, but the presentation will matter. Right now, we have all these langs, whatever they are, a claimed proficiency (in part based on AP scores- and many kids can do well n AP tests) - and then what? MUN, a little vol’ing with kids, etc. The question will be, who’s the real kid behind this? Hw does she/he get along, how does she stretch in other ways, beyond languages and competition, what trail of good?
Not a 25% chance unless OP can round this out for us.
Hmmm, id say there’s a difference from knowing 3 or 4 languages from the same group (as many europeans may know) to knowing them from vastly different ones. Learning spanish and portuguese for example took 2-3 months each. However Russian took a solid 6 because of new grammar and an almost entirely new lexical base. Chinese took close to 9 months because of the characters and analytical structure.
In terms of the language switches, it was actually one of the smaller languages that i switched, the big ones i left alone.
In terms of questioning my russian skills… i mean i speak with native speakers on a weekly basis about just about everything, I’ve read Anna Karenina and Lolita in Russian (fun read, I recommend it). As for why I dont know cyrillic cursive, that’s simple. Almost my entire language learning experience is on the computer (except maybe Chinese and that is only because caligraphy is a hobby). In terms of grammar, I mean tricky ones. There will be questions that are SAT-esque as in all choices are right but only one is the most correct. Now you can critique me on my competence but 70/100 in such a grammar section is quite good imo.
Im open to criticism of languages not mattering much, but could there be more development on that besides the existence of europeans? I mean many indians know about 4 or 5 languages (English, Hindi, their native tongue plus other neibouring languages) but I dont think that’d hold the same amount of weight as knowledge of multiple languages in multiple language families.
I might be wrong and trying to convince myself it is something special but I really want a good argument against it that goes beyond ‘Europeans’.
OP, I like determined kids. But saying 2-3 months or 6 or 9 can sound questionable to an adult, especially those reviewing top quality kids year in and year out. Maybe you are some sort of language savant, but that can be a disadvantage at colleges that look for the real kid behind the accomplishments, kids who integrate in varied ways.
Talking to people on Skype isn’t a tip. What else do you do in your real life? Have you looked into what these colleges DO want to see? You’re somewhat positioning yourself hierarchically- and they will look beyond that.
Lookingforward, honestly like thank you for so much feedback.
I admit quite openly that current raw mix or trails i gave you at the original post was definitely just that, raw. From your feedback I’m hearing that I need to tie it in well with good essays, correct?
I assure you that even 2-3 months of learning spanish (after knowledge of another romance language) can be sufficient for fluency (hispanics consider me hispanic becuz of it and my swarthier complexion), let me know if you wish to know how (for free of course because I never payed a dime for any of this).
^btw Im very much aware of the corse and arrogant tone present in all this. I assure you that given more time I’d try to give it more professionally.
In terms of my passion, I actually really want to either be a journalist or a teacher, I just really like sharing knowledge and absorbing it. Languages has allowed me to do that very efficiently (you’d be surprised how disconnected different language spheres are).
That being said, @lookingforward would you say that given all other things (essay, teacher recs, test scores which i posted above) would the languages be enough to a) raise an eyebrow at admissions and b) be considered a hook?
I understand there are many other factors including personality. But purely speaking about this in the same way writing an article for a big website or creating a startup, would this be considered a hook?
@SpockSonOfSarek I’m curious as to why it really matters to you if these skills can be considered a hook or not?
Will that change your application to these schools- Are you looking to see if the $$ for applications might be better spent elsewhere?
If you actually really want to be a journalist or a teacher there may be other schools where your language skills will be more of a hook…
Well yale has the best student college newspaper, harvard and princeton also have award winning ones. And columbia builds into an impressive school of journalism. Those are some of my motivations for these schools.
@runswimyoga Im asking so as to know whether to apply to those universities or not. I mean going through the process and writing essays plus all the paperwork seems like a huge hassle if at the end it just all ends up being a crapshoot without any substantial advantage over the other applicants.
If that were the case then I’d prob opt not to go through it. It’s just that my guidance counselor is suggesting and so are some of my family (those that went to ivy leagues) and it’d seem like a waste to not seize such a great oppurtunity if it’s actually in reach. That’s why i turned to this forum.
@SpockSonOfSarek Then IMO, it will not be enough of a hook to make up for the “hassle” you will endure in the work of filling out applications and essays. BC IMO you will indeed just be “in a crapshoot without any other substantial advantage over other applicants”. There are MANY other easier bets for you to hedge to guarantee you admittance. (Translated to mean far more other schools that you can safely be assured of being accepted to) You do NOT have any substantial advantage over other qualified applicants to HYP.
A “hook” is an attribute that colleges actively seek to achieve institutional targets, like:
X% of URMs
X$ of donations
X# of recruited athletes
X# of states/countries for geographic diversity
celeb applicants or parents
Speaking a half doz languages is definitely an admirable accomplishment. But in and of itself, it’s not something that benefits colleges in the rankings rat race.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FOiXtWcQ8GI This polyglot is at Harvard. He posted this YouTube video of him speaking 20 languages when he was in HS. I remember seeing another one where he went around the streets of NYC speaking with just about everyone he met in their native tongue.
Hmmm, thank you all for the feedback, definitely grounded me and brought be back on the ground lol.
Finally could someone (preferably somebody familiar to a certain extent with the selective admissions process at one of the HYP universities) please let me know how 6 certified languages compares to say starting a business that generates $1000 in profits per annum or against starting an NGO that has brought decently measurable change to the city community or perhaps in comparison to working under a professor at the local university (doesn’t matter what subject)?
I just want to get an idea of how I’d do against these types of candidates.
I pretty much ignore anything to do with elite-isms.