<p>I agree that it’s a good idea to check with the schools that your kiddo is targeting to get their answer rather than our anecdotes. Our kiddos had a very tough time in the language they chose (Mandarin). </p>
<p>Our S gave it up after 3 years & chose to take a 2nd AP Physics course SR year instead of a 4th year of Mandarin. He got into many of the schools he wanted, some with significant merit awards.</p>
<p>D never got beyond 1st year Mandarin and finally gave it up as well. She transferred into her dream school with basically NO language. She fulfilled her language requirement (for her BA) by taking 2 6-week summer courses locally in German and a 3rd semester at her dream U. (She had taught herself German because she enjoyed reading it in blogs and wanted to follow a European singer.)</p>
<p>My nieces had tutoring to help them with their foreign language. </p>
<p>I took Spanish for many years in HS & conversational Spanish in college. It’s good enough to convince most Spanish-language speakers that their English is better than my Spanish and we all decide to converse in English. ;)</p>