<p>I agree that if you take AP lang (or math), and get a 5 (or at least 4) on AP test, you will not be expected to take any more classes in this subject, unless this is your main area of interest. But this is not the case the OP is describing.</p>
<p>^True, but when has that ever stopped us from digressing? Personally, I do think it would be a mistake for the OP’s child to drop the language as long as her grades are decent. However I’d be lobbying hard to get the class improved somehow.</p>
<p>This is one of those issues that only you and your D can decide. Even if she stays in Spanish it is no guarantee it will matter to Pomona. I do know quite a number of Ca students who due to scheduling problems took foreign language at the community college. Including one at Pomona. If she dropped Spanish now and was able to take Spanish this summer at the CC it would show up on her applications. I would call the CC and see if you can find out what levels they are offering this summer. Another option I have seen is students doing language through a home study or correspondence course (Laurel Springs). I know a young man who did Spanish this way and is now a jr at USC with a full tuition scholarship.
The Claremont Colleges are extremely popular with students from our area. I know kids presently at Scripps, Pitzer, CMC and Pomona. I also know plenty of students who wanted to go to these schools and did not get in. I know one young woman who wanted Pitzer and did not get in but got into UCLA. I don’t have fact but I think that at least from the Southern part of Ca the Claremont schools are hard admits. I know lots of kids who are at great schools including Berkeley who did not get into Pomona. What I have noticed is that if you have all the package (grades, scores and EC’s) it helps if you parents went to one of the Claremont colleges.
One thing I have noticed is that if a parent went to one of the Claremont schools they strongly encouraged their children to apply. I have a couple of friends that have had multiple generations of Claremont graduates. One of my best friends graduated from Pitzer, her husband from Pomona. Her husband had one brother attend Harvey Mudd the other Pomona. I think the grandfather also attended Pomona. Her D is now a soph at Pitzer. Another friend a Scipps grad- D soph at Pomona. Husband’s friend D just graduated from Pomona, 3 generation Pomona grad.
Santa Clara alum you should have gone to POMONA. (said in humor)</p>
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This may be true, though I never gave it a thought back in the '70s and I was accepted to every school I applied to, including two Ivies. My high school classmates all had similar attitudes and results. I realize it was much easier back then and the competition for top schools has totally changed, so the OP is probably right to think this over carefully. But I just want to point out how ridiculous the situation has become; really, what difference could it possibly make whether this student takes one more semester of a language. If this is considered important then the colleges are just splitting hairs and looking for reasons to reject applicants.</p>
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<p>You are correct, of course: this is a fairly minor thing. </p>
<p>But unfortunately I think that you are also correct in your second point. Colleges like Pomona are flooded with so many superbly qualified applicants that perhaps they DO resort to splitting hairs and looking for reasons to reject.</p>
<p>That’s why avoiding things that have to be explained away on your transcript is preferable.</p>
<p>To answer all of the raised objections: I have not heard from an adcom directly, just speaking from my college counselor’s advice. My friend started in French 3 freshman year but initially planned to take 4 years of French (4-AP Lang-AP Lit) until scheduling forced her to skip French 4 (not unusual, I plan to take AP next year after French 3).</p>
<p>My point is: sure, middle school years may substitute in a pinch. But when colleges are splitting hairs–which schools like Pomona necessarily must do, when faced with a glut of approximately equivalent applicants–it’d be easy to choose the MOST prepared/dedicated applicant (notice that I said applicant, not student; you might be the most dedicated student, but if the adcoms don’t perceive that, it’s no use).</p>
<p>To continue splitting hairs – In S’s case, there is a higher level after the AP Spanish – the IB HL Spanish exam (with the sixth year of studies). OTOH, he will take a 4 on the AP and be quite happy. A 5 would render him speechless.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input. My DD did go ahead and drop the class today, the first day of the spring semester. She was far from alone - all but three kids dropped the class today. </p>
<p>Before dropping the class, she called 4 of the colleges that she is interested in (not Pomona given that I had highlighted it here - but schools of comparable quality). </p>
<p>She laid out her situation and plan:</p>
<p>1) She has already completed 3 years - and this is the 4th year of the language. She explained that French 1 had been completed as a middle schooler.</p>
<p>2) That the teacher is relatively new to the school and she feels that she is no longer progressing in the language</p>
<p>3) That the school is going to drop AP French next year and therefore she cannot go on through the high school</p>
<p>4) Her plan is to enroll with a tutor 1 on 1 who will allow her to progress in French and pass the AP next year (e.g. May 2010) when she would have been taking it anyway.</p>
<p>She got unanimous feedback that dropping the class at mid year is something that can be easily explained in a note on the application and will not harm her chances. She also got confirmation that they would accept the French 1 at the middle school level as one of the years.</p>
<p>Her GC indicated that he would check the most rigorous box on her application as she has exceed the requirements under their guidelines. He also indicated that he would explain the situation on his recommendation as well.</p>
<p>It turned out that the local community college was not an option as they don’t have classes at a time that works with her HS schedule. Instead we are going to hire a tutor from language school near here and share the class with some of her classmates. </p>
<p>Again, thank you all for the input - it was of great help to us as we worked through this decision.</p>
<p>Glad to hear it worked out. My S ended up staying in his Spanish 4 class, even though it’s been a rough ride. His only options if he dropped it were Personal Fitness or Computer Management (he does web design & programming, so this wasn’t a viable option). He didn’t want to drop an academic class for a non academic class, so he is going to just bite the bullet. I tried to enlist his counselor’s help with the situation, but she hasn’t bothered to call me back (it’s been a week). As soon as he’s out of that school, I plan to let his counselor know exactly what I think of her complete lack of … guidance and/or counseling.</p>
<p>thanks for the follow up scualum and BRAVO to your D for making the calls and having this discussion with the schools! That is a great step on the way to her interviews that she can be composed and lay out the plan to them!</p>
<p>Not to hijack this thread…but, we ran into a similar situation and I am interested in hearing the responses/advice/anecdotal evidence…</p>
<p>D has taken French 1 and 2 in Middle School. Has completed French 3 and 4 (both honors) in high school (currently a sophomore). Her counselor said today that selective schools do indeed require 3 years of the foreign language in high school.</p>
<p>Scheduling is a pain - almost impossible with French 5 honors for next year. She is being offered an opportunity to take classes at the local university (classes count for both high school and college credit) - and it’s very likely that this will conflict with French. [ This year, French 4 was offered just once - during the first semester and only one set of scheduling blocks].</p>
<p>Option 1: Drop French. Will her middle school classes count?
Option 2: Switch to a different language - does this count as having taken a foreign language for three years? Or does it have to be the same language?
Option 3: Skip French in junior year and come back to it in senior year (am concerned that this might make it harder for her in senior year after a year’s break).</p>
<p>Interesting how many of us are in the same situation. S is in AP Latin (fourth year), and wanting to drop. He is the only AP Latin student in his school, and none of the previous students in AP Latin have taken the exam. Since he’s a senior this won’t affect admissions - just waiting to see if his school will allow it.</p>
<p>arisamp, I do know of some Latin students who did not take Latin 3 as a junior but are now taking it as a senior. They are doing fine.</p>
<p>Just one last followup - I got word over the weekend that the teacher has resigned effective end of the school year.</p>
<p>Glad it worked out for your D. That teacher makes the incompetent teachers at my D’s high school look decent in comparison.</p>
<p>We will see if it works out about this time next year when college admission decisions are rolling in. I think she did the right thing and hope that the irregularity on her transcript won’t hold her back. She is doing everything that she can to mitigate but it will still be a mid year drop.</p>
<p>scualum – Your D had a problem, developed a plan, checked it out with colleges and her GC, and has found a great alternative. Shows a lot of maturity and self-advocacy skills, both of which will serve her well in college. Stuff happens, and I’m sure colleges will see a number of AP-track French students next year scrambling as courses are closed out and/or enrollment declines. S had a couple things he needed to document in an additional info section that he included in his apps, and mentioned that his GC would confirm (which she had already agreed to do). Worked out just fine.</p>
<p>My son did not even sign up for the 4th year of language; he was sooo done with it. This was much against his counselor’s advice, but he did not care. A lot of kids at his school dropped a lot of courses at midyear very much against the counselor and school’s advice. The story is that it does not matter. The school and the counselors darkly say otherwise. I think it COULD matter does not in general knowing where many of these kids are going to school. I think if a student has noticable drop in GPA AND drops a course, there could be some questions from the colleges about this situation. None of the kids who droopped the math (a biggie) and foreign language seemed to have repercussions, but this is just my observation. </p>
<p>Now do remember that a lot of colleges do have language requirements. MY son did not have any so he was fine where he went. But had my now freshman not taken his fourth year of language, he would have had to take two years of language at his college.</p>
<p>Just to complete this story, my DD was admitted early decision to Scripps yesterday - so all is well that ends well :)</p>