<p>my daughter is a junior and has finished her regents in French last year and now wants to switch to Yearbook which is a 2 yr committment, some of her counselors have told her to continue language for 4 yrs and finish AP French, can anyone advise if colleges look at 4 yr of language as very important ??? and that she should stay in French</p>
<p>In general, four years of a foreign language is important. If it was for another core class it would be more difficult a decision. Not all colleges will see yearbook as an intense course and it would appear that she chose an elective over an academic option.</p>
<p>French hands down. Not only because of the AP and better ‘rigor’ but because of the study abroad options etc. when in college. Someone with 4 years of HS language would do well to continue the language in college if there is a requirement or space for electives.</p>
<p>On the other hand, this will be her only opportunity to work on the high school yearbook – a unique activity that can be a highlight of the high school experience for some students.</p>
<p>If she’s interested in French, she can resume her study of it in college.</p>
<p>If she drops French to do yearbook, how many levels of French will she have completed? If she will only have taken level 2, that’s not enough for many colleges. Some want foreign language through level 3. But it’s less common for colleges to insist that students take foreign language through level 4. This is common only at the highest levels of selectivity. If your daughter is not a candidate for the very top colleges, taking level 4 is probably unnecessary.</p>
<p>Please note that I’m speaking in terms of levels, not years of language taken in high school. If your daughter completed level 1 or even levels 1 and 2 foreign language in middle school, that counts toward the total.</p>
<p>I’m arguing this viewpoint because I think that sometimes students are asked to give up too much in pursuit of college admissions. Sometimes, kids should have a chance to be themselves and pursue the activities or courses that interest them.</p>
<p>More important to finish 4 years of HS French. Easy to skip the 5th/AP year if she chooses to. I remember not wanting that extra 5th year of French- was into science. Some U’s will require that or state most admitted students will have 4 years of a foreign language. Some will let it fulfill all college foreign language reqs- BA as well as BS. UW-Madison, a top public/flagship is like this. Our state has no test such as “Regents”- seems like too much testing…</p>
<p>Never heard of a yearbook course- that always is an extracurricular. I guess it would be a journalism course in nature- but 2 years of it! instead of other classes seems too much. It’s a shame other students can’t produce their yearbook- that it is only for those who take school time. It doesn’t matter how award winning/professional the publication is if it has to be only a select few who do it. Reading more French will be more valuable to her. I’ll bet senior year there are diminishing returns for the course- waste of educational time.</p>
<p>I think offering yearbook only has a class is a terrible idea. I loved working on the yearbook, but I reluctantly have to say that French is probably a better idea. Even though the Regents test indicates third year level achievement it’s not enough French to be useful ever and if she goes to a college with a language requirement she’ll have to start from the beginning after two years off. I really believe Americans in general are poorly served by our lousy language education - in other countries achieving fluency in a foreign language is pretty much a given. Many colleges prefer to see four years of a language and some may prefer to see those years in high school not middle school. Finally, if she does well on the AP or the SAT subject test, she might be able to test out of a language in college all together.</p>
<p>I would recommend continuing with French. Agree with wis75 that yearbook was always an EC where my Ds went to school. I’d never heard of it being an actual course, especially for two years!, until I saw it here on CC. I don’t really understand why something like that is offered for actual credit and that only kids who make that commitment are able to work on their yearbook.</p>
<p>MY DDs HS starting giving credit for Yearbook, otherwise they wouldnt have enough kids to work on it (very small school). The prinicipal has said kids are welcome to work on it without being scheduled for the yearbook “class.” Is this an option? I agree, keep French.</p>
<p>I vote for yearbook. It would be fun, it’s a new experience with new friends. And one that is unique to HS these days. She’ll remember being on the Yearbook staff a lot longer than another French class.
French is fine but you can take French in college (and you’ll probably start over no matter how much HS French you had.)
My son was on yearbook as a Senior (no 2 yr commitment–but other kids did it longer) and had great fun. He interviewed teachers and students, learned to write in a journalistic style, made deadlines and worked in a new team. It was a creative endeavor.
(And come to think of it he dropped French 4 to take it!)</p>
<p>I know other posters don’t think much of yearbook but not all programs are created equal. My son’s experience was on a professionally run staff with a correspondingly quality publication. How is it viewed in your D’s school?–I doubt she’d want to be on it unless it was very good.</p>
<p>Do both or stay with language. Yearbook is for fun, language is very usefull skill.</p>
<p>What are her likely college major and/or career goals? If she’s leaning to a LAC, then she should have at least 3 years of a foreign language. (in NJ, the state requirement is 3 years; not sure if that’s a consideration). Alternatively, can she keep the foreign language this year and somehow drop science, math or social studies instead and pick them up as a senior?</p>
<p>Gotta agree with those who question whether or not taking more French would be beneficial. If the colleges your DD plans to apply to take a more holistic approach in viewing potential students, she may very well be better served in diversifying her curriculum a bit. </p>
<p>If she plans on HYPS, then maybe not…but, who’s to say? She may have other “hooks” that balance out her choice to skip more language classes.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
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<p>Or the other way around. Maybe she could not take French in 11th grade but resume taking it in 12th grade. She would have to review a bit during the summer, but lots of kids resume taking a foreign language after a year off and survive. She might have room for both French and yearbook in her 12th grade schedule if she has already taken biology, chemistry, and physics and doesn’t take an AP science, or if she has already completed three years of social studies by that time.</p>