<p>You do not need a program that offers Akkadian, Xhosa, and Khazak in order to find classes in French, Spanish, and maybe Arabic. French and Spanish are the two most commonly taught foreign languages around, and thousands of colleges can teach them well. Arabic is the strategic language of choice for many these days, and every college that can offer it does. If you can find a self-respecting college that doesn’t offer these languages, I’d be surprised.</p>
<p>Ultimately, if you want to learn any of them well, you are going to have to spend time somewhere other than an American college anyway, somewhere where people speak the language, not just learn it.</p>
<p>Finally, a lot of Middlebury’s reputation for language studies rests on its justly praised summer institute, which is taught by faculty from many places, not just Middlebury. If you can afford it, it’s a great way to accelerate your language study: a year’s introductory course at a college, plus a summer at Middlebury, probably equals at least two years of college study.</p>