Hello!
Our child is considering applying to T20 colleges. How many years of foreign language do competitive pool of kids take?
3-4, depending on the university
1 Like
Wesleyan publishes for the class of 2027:
“78% have a fourth year (or equivalent) of one foreign language”
From what I gather at that level schools almost all prefer 4 years of one language (if offered), though rarely a hard requirement. If not taking a foreign language you’d want to be taking a core academic class like doubling on chem+physics or 2 high level history classes or something for a top 20. You can check websites and CDS, but I think considering “minimum” as good enough is not usually a great plan without good reason IMO. Each HS’s offerings and norms are so different though. IB and Block schedules and such make 1-size-fits-all hard to advise. Also may depend on major choice, a bit…
Note, I am not (nor ever have been) an AO but have had reason to interact with a few highly experienced college counselors on course scheduling…Some say you need 4 years of FL in HS (in other words Span 1 in 8th grade doesn’t count as a year), so for most kids applying to Top20 that would mean through AP level (if offered) sr year…other say through level 4 (which may be in 11th for many). Generally, though, I think top 20s want to see yourself pushing in all core academic areas…
1 Like
I received acceptances to many top universities with these core classes:
English: 4
Math: 7
Science: 5
Social Studies: 5
Foreign Language: 3
Taking 3 years of Foreign Language was not at all a hindrance for me as I took much more than the required core classes. As others have said, I think you should take 3, but don’t worry about a 4th if you want to take extra math/sci/etc classes instead.
My first year of HS FL was in 8th grade, it was HS credit but I stopped taking Language after 10th grade.
2 Likes
You can google the common data for any college and it will show you the required/recommended number of HS courses for each subject. For top colleges I’d guess most look for 3-4 years of foreign language.
1 Like
The one exception to the above - my daughter had two years but the school didn’t offer a third. They had planned to but scrapped it. It was noted. She didn’t get into a top 20 - but did competitive admission schools such as W&L (at the time a top 12 LAC) and Florida.
So if you are in a situation where something isn’t offered, your counselor can note it (and you can in the additional info section on common app) and it shouldn’t be held against you.
1 Like
Better for the counselor to cover.
Regardless, let’s let the OP return to add texture to their situation rather than numerous people providing insight into their unique situation which may not be applicable to anyone else.
4 Likes
Elite colleges will often want to see four years of a foreign language, but they mean that they want you to get to the 4th-year level, at least. So if you get a head start in middle school, and/or if a couple of years are combined in an accelerated/honors class, it’s possible to get to the equivalent of a 4th year in three or fewer years.
Our child prefers doubling in Stem or writing which is the major they are probably considering. But if it is received well to have the language completed, then she can take another year. She is in Spanish 3 which is a 3rd year course. So one more year will be Spanish 4 in 11th grade
Another option is to take Latin for 2 years
Not an option in this scenario. Years of FL means years of the same FL
In your situation, or rather her situation, Spanish 4 completed in the 11th grade will fulfill every single college’s recommendation IME.
4 Likes
Why not just take Spanish 4? Wouldn’t it just be one class period? And what STEM class would be taken in place of FL?
I think the safest bet is to just take Spanish 4 - that satisfies the four years of FL. My older two took two foreign languages each through AP level. Middle one liked STEM (and writing) as well and took math through Linear Algebra and a variety of other AP courses, including Physics C, Bio, English Language, and English Lit. Taking a fourth year of FL shouldn’t greatly limit what other courses she takes.
Didn’t help my kids get into any elite schools, though that is for another thread.
2 Likes
I note everyone wants a precise formula/recipe, but I think a lot of highly selective colleges are thinking in terms like: is this student going to thrive when filling our own language requirement? Have they challenged themselves outside of just their favorite subjects? Are they interested in different peoples and different cultures? And so on.
So I would suggest thinking about how to satisfy questions like that. Usually the easiest thing is just take four years of a given language, but other paths could work too. I would just avoid the mindset that there is some requirement you should be trying to fulfill with the minimal possible effort. Because I don’t think that is really the intellectual spirit most highly selective US colleges are looking for in their applicants.
2 Likes
Level completed always matters for the purpose of how college views foreign language course work.
Number of years taken in school may matter, depending on the college and the student’s situation in high school (e.g. did the student complete the highest available level?).
Remember that many colleges have foreign language graduation requirements as well.
1 Like
That is probably a better way to put what I was trying to say. If, say, AP lang and Ap Lit are offered and many kids take them and a kid stops at 4, it doesn’t look amazing, like you “dropped” especially if the replacement class is “honors anatomy” or “advanced debate” or something. If you “drop” and take AP Chem it is a bit different. But you aren’t taking the hardest class in each area if you stop at 4.
Note, this is not where I first heard taking about taking all 4 years in HS, but here is one person (a former ivy AO and director of admission) saying that.
I completely agree is there is no perfect formula. I have a kid who goes to a highly regarded HS and something unbelievable like more than 1/2 of the students go to schools with less than 10% acceptance rates… virtually none take 4 years of same FL (but that is due to its unusual curriculum).
YMMV
S24 only has 2 years of FL on his HS transcript. So far the best schools he got in are Berkeley, UCLA and Carnegie with WL at Stanford for Engineering.
BUT:
On EC he listed 12 years of taking Chinese in a non-accredited Language Academy (heritage language).
He also applied to engineering and has better list of classes and grades above and beyond what HS offers by doing CC classes.
From what I see here, the “standard” answer is always 4 years. But there numerous permutations and possibilities. If you can do them all, go for it. If there are classes you rather take which are major relevant, then IMO you should do that instead.
Again, I’m bucking the trend and you should take what I said with caution.
3 Likes
What language and level were the 2 years in high school, and were there any foreign language courses among the community college courses?
We have no AP in his HS.
So I think it was Spanish 1 and 2. 3 is “honors” which S24 did not want to take.
The only language classes he did in CC were programming languages… . He did three of those. 
Check each school’s Common Data set for requirements, they will be different for each school. Look for this section: “Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended.”
Competitive pool candidates will do that, and probably more, when possible.
My D25 is applying to top LACs with only 2 years of FL in high school, but having completed Spanish 4. She is taking 4 APs junior year and 4 senior year in core subjects.