My school district does not require foreign language to graduate, and thus I was never placed in it. As I’m submitting apps, I’m finding that most colleges require 2 years of foreign language or recommend it.
My question is, would I be rejected outright from these schools and am I screwed? Can I take community college classes between then and now (I’m a senior in HS), and would that be sufficient if I simply notify the college? Please help because I feel like my dreams were just crushed
This is specific to Fordham and American btw!
If foreign language credits are “required”, then yes you will be rejected. If “recommended” then you may not be as competitive as applicants that have the foreign language credits but you should not be rejected outright. One semester of FL at a CCC equals 1 year of HS credit and let the schools know that this class is in progress.
That’s so unfair. Just because you didn’t take a FL you will just be rejected.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure they meet all the course requirements when applying to a college. What is so unfair about that?
Just to be clear; would taking the courses at a CCC make admission possible?
You say that you were never placed in a foreign language class, does your high school not allow you to pick the classes you take? (Genuinely curious, I’m currently under the assumption that every high school allows the students choose the classes they want to take) I’m not sure if you will be rejected outright but I think colleges would definitely wonder why you never felt the need to take a foreign language course.
It’s a bit late in the game as a second semester senior. You would not have completed in time for the admissions decisions, but at least it will appear as a course in progress. That’s probably your best best. You can certainly contact admissions and see what they have to say. Although I have to say that your Guidance Department did not do you any favors.
Have other students from your school ever been admitted to Fordham or American?
@kingx16 There are high schools that allow you to pick your classes? Our high school just puts you in a random course and doesn’t allow you to switch out. I am currently stuck in an art class and would much rather be taking a math class.
@kingx16 I was not allowed to choose my classes.
@AcceptableName I appreciate the humor, but because my district has no requirement of foreign language, they apparently didn’t find it necessary to place me in a class. A unique situation, I know, but that’s why I was asking the question
@AcceptableName I had no idea that some high schools didn’t let you choose your classes. At my school, which is a small high school in the country and is not competitive at all, students have a limited number of classes to choose from freshman year but after that you can basically enroll in any course (as long as you have completed any prerequisites needed for the course). You basically design your own schedule. Foreign Language classes were not required at my school but they definitely suggested that we take at least two years of it. At my school students who enjoyed art would fulfill most of their electives by taking art classes.
@deyer07 Perhaps when you are applying you should mention how you did not have much control over the classes you took during high school, resulting in the lack of foreign language classes. And then mention how you plan to take a foreign language course at a CCC second semester of senior year.
I’ve never heard of a high school not allowing their students to select their classes! Even my son’s private boarding school gave the students some choice in their courses.
If the college does require foreign language, it would be useless to apply as you wouldn’t be accepted. Not having foreign language does put you at a disadvantage and unfortunately now it’s a bit difficult to make up that deficit.
“CCC” is commonly used to refer to California Community College. Are you a California resident?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1760219-where-is-it-possible-for-me-to-get-in-and-where-is-it-possible-for-me-to-transfer-to.html indicates that you are now in 12th grade (11th grade when you made that post last April) and have a 2.5 HS GPA and 2200 SAT.
Do you know a foreign language learned at home or otherwise outside of high school foreign language courses?
I got to pick my own classes by constantly bothering my counselor lol. My school does not let students pick every class but if go up and bug a counselor they will give in and listen.
In our HS kids pick their classes and the counselors make sure that they are in line with New York State requirements, which include learning a foreign language. Most years the classes my kids wanted to take, vs what they were able to take due to scheduling issues weren’t quite the same, but they were close. I really hold your school responsible for not making sure graduates with college potential don’t have the minimum high school credits for admission. (But maybe they saw you as a C student not as your SAT score.)
That said, if you can take a community college language course next term, that would be better than nothing. Some schools may be flexible and read your application anyway. The only way to be really sure is to call the admissions offices and ask. Alternatively, you could go to a CC first and then transfer. Or take a gap year, work and take a language at the same time.
Right now, it’s sort of a moot point whether you picked your classes, or the school did.
Fact is, you’re missing a requirement for many universities. It’s now time to contact schools you’re interested in, and ask how they’d treat an applicant such as you - and whether taking a FL at a community college (and for how long) will meet that requirement. Posting on CC or looking for someone to blame for your predicament isn’t a very effective way of finding a solution.