History/FL Coursework

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>Cross-posted from admissions, wanted to have Harvard as particular example:</p>

<p>Most selective colleges appear to have recommendations of 4 years of a foreign language and 2-3 years of history. I am fortunate enough to attend a high school which offers enough advanced science, math, and engineering courses that I can schedule a full courseload with only one year of foreign language and one of history. Would pursuing this track have a definitively negative impact on my admissions portfolio?</p>

2

<p>You want to take the most rigorous course load available at your high school – and that’s true for all areas of study.</p>

<p>For Harvard, taking just 1 year of a foreign language and 1 year of history will put you at a disadvantage in light of Harvard’s advice to high school student’s.</p>

<p>Harvard: [Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Preparing for College](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html)</p>

<ul>
<li>the study of English for four years: close and extensive reading of the classics of the world’s literature</li>
<li>four years of a single foreign language;</li>
<li>the study of history for at least two, and preferably three years: American History, European History, and one additional advanced history course;</li>
<li>the study of mathematics for four years, including the particular topics described;</li>
<li>the study of science for four years: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and preferably one of these at an advanced level</li>
<li>frequent practice in the writing of expository prose.</li>
</ul>

3

<p><a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012-13FY-FinalHighlightedPreview.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012-13FY-FinalHighlightedPreview.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Rather than ask for opinions on CC, you should speak with your guidance counselor and get their thoughts. When you apply to college, your guidance counselor must fill out a Secondary School Report (SSR) on your behalf. Specifically, your GC is asked to rate the rigor of your course load, as compared to other college bound students at your school. See page 2, top right hand corner of the above pdf.</p>

<p>All selective colleges are looking for students who take the MOST DEMANDING schedule at their high school. If other students at your school are taking AP History courses and AP Foreign Language courses, while you are not, how will your GC rate the rigor of your couses load? That’s really the question here – and your GC is the only one who can answer it.</p>

4

<p>Sorry, the link above was to the complete common app package, here is just the SSR: <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012SchoolReport_download.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012SchoolReport_download.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;