This discussion was created from comments split from: Is 3 years of Spanish a disadvantage?.
@skieurope Where do you get the "for almost all colleges, competing level 4 equates to 4 years of study. "? I have read this from a few posters, but I can’t find it from college websites…
For example university of California says:
Two years, or equivalent to the 2nd level of high school instruction, of the same language other than English are required.
Three years/3rd level of high school instruction recommended
For example:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-g-comparison-matrix.pdf
http://www.ucop.edu/agguide/a-g-requirements/e-language/faq/index.html
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/quick-reference-2015.pdf (page 18)
thank you. Any where outside of CA? I am from the east coast and as we all know it is difficult to get scholarship from UC colleges.
I did some searching & was surprised to find hardly any specific foreign language requirements or even other curricular requirements. Looked at Harvard, Yale, Boston U, Tufts, U of Richmond, & Skidmore. I could have missed something but all I found was 2 units required at Richmond, elsewhere just references to holistic admissions & taking highest courses available, which would allow for laying off a language in order to pick up a different challenging course.
@Ygrtftw be sure to check the websites of the specific colleges you are interested in, but in general it looks like you’ll be fine. As long as you didn’t drop Spanish to take study hall!
I agree with you @alooknac and it was also one reason I asked for specifics on where people saw level 4 was considered as 4 years.I am not saying it does not exist, but just how common it is… I did, however, write to a number of colleges, most come back with holistic approach…some came back as 3-4 years, one came back acknowledging some kids took 2 Science courses instead of foreign language (she wrote “typical path”)…Hence, my suggestion to OP is to write to the schools.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1802227-faq-foreign-language-p1.html
I looked at mostly schools not on the West Coast in my own search and talked to AO’s at college fairs and other venues. While the university websites may not specifically state what I said above, every AO I spoke with confirmed my statement. If in doubt, ask the college in question.
As an example, Harvard says, “Four years of a single foreign language.” They don’t say it’s just about taking AP. Of course, some kids max their language sooner than senior year. But it helps to realize that, at some colleges and for some possible majors, it’s not always “just” about AP level. You can imagine that some kid who took AP(or the test) in 9th grade isn’t automatically meeting what’s hoped for.
There’s a lot of confusion about this. But OP is fine for top privates.
@skieurope Thanks. I looked into the link, however, it pointed back to @ucbalumnus 's opinion, (no offense) but it is hardly authoritative…as so far she pointed to only links from UC… hence I questioned the comment on “almost all colleges”… I am not saying anyone is wrong, but just looking for the source…
Yes, I do agree (and recommended on #9) to contact the colleges…
While true, Harvard was also one of the colleges that I asked, and they said completion of level 4 fulfilled the recommendation.
Well, @ucbalmunus has been here I while, and I listen to what s/he says. 
I always use qualifiers, because if I don’t, someone will point out the exception.
Anyway, almost all colleges also build their websites to share information that will be applicable to the majority, but not all, of the applicants. The students who are on College Confidential are not a representative subset of college-bound students. So sometimes, when a question is asked, we can only impart our own experience from having gone through the process, and not show you a definitive source. As I said upthread, one can always just ask the college directly.
“I always use qualifiers, because if I don’t, someone will point out the exception.”
Someone will anyway. 
Depends on the tier. For the most competitive, when they look at the transcript, they’ll see all the courses, when lang ended and what courses were taken after that, whether the kid challenged himself or coasted.
Ime, it’s not as simple as, “completing AP counts as completing level 4.” That sounds surer than it is. I know lots of posters state that sort of idea, but most are going on what they heard or some anecdote where a kid wasn’t affected in admissions. Imagine a kid who, say, lived in France for a few years, took AP in 9th. A highly competitive college can wonder why that’s all.
It probably is not that rare for a student with some knowledge of a foreign language (from learning it at home as a heritage speaker, from living in a country where that language is used, from an elementary school foreign language immersion program) to start high school taking a high level course in that language because that is his/her proper placement for that language.
What other reasonable choice does the student in this situation have? Not take the language at all (foregoing the opportunity to improve his/her existing knowledge of the language)? Start high school in the lower level courses in that language (which would be uninteresting and a waste of schedule space, and may look like grade-grubbing)?
^^^I assumed holistic approach (from the “few” that I have contacted)
but it does not imply level 3 = 3 years of Spanish…I sure hope you are right due to my own kid’s scheduling, but I just couldn’t find evidence to support that the “almost all colleges” and “At most colleges” assertion.
I think you’re overestimating the amount of time that an AO will analyze a transcript. Additionally, we’re talking about a relatively small number of applicants that this will affect. Most HS’s will not offer any FL classes past level 4/AP, particularly in a language other than Spanish. The student can’t take what’s not offered, and few colleges will have the expectation that the student look for resources outside the HS curriculum.
This is going to be such an even smaller percentage. But in this case, I think the transcript will be viewed in context. The applicant will have proficiency in English, as well as a demonstrated knowledge in a language other than English. A US HS will more than likely still require 2 years of FL study at that HS for graduation. As long as the overall transcript looks good, I don’t think this will be viewed negatively by colleges. YMMV.
As I said upthread, I can only relate what AO’s told me. One can choose to believe them or not believe them.
I’m just suggesting we not assume, especially when we don’t know an applicant’s fuller picture, just this one point. I feel OP is fine, for his one question. He’s got 3 years, ending in AP.
A kid who, for whatever reason, took AP in 9th, is not automatically credited with “four years” of language study. A heritage speaker who did this might be expected to take a new language. Just as a kid who lived abroad might be.
It does “depend.” And especially when applying to a tippy top. Saying “it depends,” to me, is wiser than “it doesn’t matter.”
There are plenty of examples where a kid is fine. But it’s not a given.
CC could program the forum to automatically answer all questions as “it depends” and close the thread. But then it wouldn’t be of much use would it?
Of course there always will be exceptions. And it depends to some degree at least. But that was already explained. Nobody is asserting or assuming a universal truth here. However in this case, there are enough gathered information to make a reasonable assertion for the most case
We do need to research, guess, estimate, ASSUME, and assert based on available information and logic. That’s how we discuss and learn. And I think that’s one of main purpose of an information sharing forum such as this.
You can believe and assume, or not assume anything you want. And you are also free to assert it if you can back it up with certain amount of logic and information. What is not polite or useful is keep asking others to agree your opinion, while repeating your own assertion that was already logically countered, pointing that they wouldn’t be “wiser” otherwise. If your argument is superior, the readers will agree to it on their own.
While I have joined CC not long ago, I have been researching about college admission for many years. What’s been said by @ucbalumnus and @skieurope is consistant with my research which includes asking several top private universities in different states and listening to experienced consultants.
I understand that what is asserted here defies your logic. However, I hope you would consider a possibility that it is you who don’t understand it or can’t follow its technicalities. Asserting that opponent’s argument must be false for that reason is a logical fallacy called Argument from Personal Incredulity. And that’s how it seems to me.
Or it could program to offer a rotating set of anecdotes. Or assurances.
I don’t consider “I heard” or even “I asked” to be definitive. There are questions asked of adcoms that get sweeping assurances.
A lot on CC want to treat lang as a check box. Sorry, but my comment comes from my own experience, not an email or an article or book. Or simple incredulity. I try often to get people to dig deeper than stats, ECs they claim are unparalleled, purported “passions” or whatever. And I usually refer to elites, when they’re brought up.
Neither the state of California, nor our school district, require any foreign language for graduation.