Why? The FAQ gives the definitive answer (quoted below), IMO, which was also mentioned many many times in this thread.
It’s college related. I believe what @lookingforward meant (who is free to correct me if I am wrong with my interpretation) is that the college’s “recommendations” are not set in stone. If a college recommends 4 years, it does not mean that an applicant with 3 years will be automatically rejected. As I believe I mentioned upthread, college websites will give recommendations that will apply to the vast majority of students, but not all students. There are many valid reasons why a student does not take the recommended number of years:
• The HS does not offer 4 years
• The applicant is studying a less popular language, which the school/district decides to eliminate while the applicant is still a student.
• The applicant’s HS is on a British model where fewer subjects are studied in later years.
A reason which may or may not be valid is the student has a schedule conflict because s/he made the conscious decision to double/triple up on STEM classes. A reason which is almost never valid is that the applicant does not like FL; colleges that took the time to create recommendations are really not interested if a 16/17 y/o kid likes or doesn’t like something, IMO
I will also once again suggest that users refrain from having this conversation go around in circles at the risk of having another mod shut this down. If one is looking for the definitive list of which colleges say level X = X years, it does not exist. Nobody on this thread is a college AO, and the few that actively participate on this forum will rarely speak ex cathedra. However, many of us have been through the process, and we can and do share our experiences. One is always free to accept or ignore our posts.