Skipping Second Year Foregin Language?

[DivineGrace819]

<p>My school offer two years of Latin and Spanish not 3. I will most likely get into the class during spring if I don’t then I will just drop AP Chem and take Latin 2.(Latin 2 and AP Chem is in the spring)</p>

[Saugus]

<p>Is even 2 years enough? I’m in the same situation.</p>

[Sikorsky]

<p>

Is even 2 years enough? I’m in the same situation.

</p>

<p>If you’re applying to selective colleges and universities, and your high school offers more than two years of a language, then probably two years is not enough.</p>

<p>On the other hand, if your high school offers only two years of foreign language, then few colleges, if any, will penalize you for that. (Also, if your high school offers only two years of foreign language, shame on them!) If your high school offers, let’s say, two years of German and four years of Spanish, then you’d be well advised to take Spanish–at least through Spanish III–if it’s not too late.</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>Depends on the school. Since you (Saugus) are in Southern California, note that UC and CSU specify two years minimum, but three recommended for UC.</p>

<p>[University</a> of California - “A-G” courses](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements/a-g-requirements/index.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements/a-g-requirements/index.html)
[CSUMentor</a> - Plan for College - High School Students - High School Subject Requirements](<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Freshman: Admission Requirements | CSU)</p>

<p>Note that graduation requirements may be higher than admission requirements.</p>

[Saugus]

<p>^
What about for Ivies and other top schools like Northwestern?</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>Private universities with holistic admissions tend to just eyeball transcripts and try to consider the context of the high school. While having only up to level two of foreign language will not look as good as reaching a higher level, it will be understandable if they know that your high school only offers up to level two (it would look at lot worse if you complete only level two at a high school which offers level four/five/AP).</p>

[smorgasbord]

<p>I assume you’re going into a STEM field? If so, loading up on math/science courses will look good, like you’re following your interest. Explain your situation to colleges – I doubt any of them will care.</p>

[Sikorsky]

<p>

I assume you’re going into a STEM field? If so, loading up on math/science courses will look good, like you’re following your interest. Explain your situation to colleges – I doubt any of them will care.

</p>

<p>Smorgasboard, I don’t think you’re right about that. Here are a couple of examples (picked with Saugus in mind).</p>

<p>

Most admission offices will be looking for a solid background in English, mathematics, social studies, lab sciences, and foreign languages. Each institution will have slightly different requirements, but generally, the more higher level courses in each of these subject areas, the better prepared you will be for your college career. If you are interested in a specific subject area, you should feel free to take courses in these areas. **However, courses in a subject area of high interest should not replace the core academic areas listed above.<a href=“emphasis%20added”>/B</a>

</p>

<p>[Choosing</a> Secondary School Coursework: Office of Undergraduate Admission - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/apply/frequently-asked-questions-and-resources/choosing-secondary-school-coursework.html]Choosing”>http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/apply/frequently-asked-questions-and-resources/choosing-secondary-school-coursework.html)</p>

<p>

Foreign Language</p>

<p>You should leave secondary school knowing at least one foreign language well enough to read it easily and pronounce it acceptably…</p>

<p>Many secondary school students take a smattering of several languages – for example, Latin for two years, French for a year, and Spanish for a year. When it is too late, they realize that they cannot read or speak any of these languages well. We urge you to try to study at least one foreign language and its literature for four years. Continuity of study is important, too, because a “year off” from a language can be a real setback…

</p>

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

[mikemac]

<p>

Advanced Electives – 2 units chosen from Foreign Language…</p>

<p>Mississippi State Univ. (I picked one around here)

As they say in the sciences, which you seem to like, your sample size seems to be much too small. Most colleges with any degree of selectivity require 2 years of a foreign language. And at the top schools is a virtual certainty. MIT does. Duke wants 3 years. Many others expect at least two. Before you decide one is enough, I suggest you contact admissions at some of the schools you think you might want to attend and see what they tell you.</p>

[smorgasbord]

<p>

That said, students who have just the minimum can win admission if their applications demonstrate strengths in other areas. Some less competitive schools don’t even have a high school language requirement and assume some students will simply study a language once they get to college.

[Foreign</a> Language Requirement - Learn About Foreign Language Requirements for College Admissions](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/a/ForeignLanguage.htm]Foreign”>http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/a/ForeignLanguage.htm)</p>

<p>Also:

Normally, students will be expected to take two or more years of a foreign or classical language unless it is not offered at their school.

[Carleton</a> College: Admissions: What Are We Looking For?](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/overview/rqments/]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/overview/rqments/)</p>

<p>From personal experience, plenty of students at my school did the bare minimum of foreign language while emphasizing their strengths in other areas (music was popular) and got into fine schools (BC, William & Mary, UVA…). The study of foreign language for college admissions seems over-hyped; too many kids that took the language for 4+ years still get placed into Language 101 in college.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>

From personal experience, plenty of students at my school did the bare minimum of foreign language while emphasizing their strengths in other areas (music was popular) and got into fine schools (BC, William & Mary, UVA…)

Note that UVA requires 2 years to be considered eligible for admission. See [Undergraduate</a> Admission, U.Va.](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/profile.html]Undergraduate”>http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/profile.html)</p>

<p>W&M does not require a language, but does say “We recommend taking four science courses (regardless of prospective major) culminating in Physics, and four years of single foreign language as ways of demonstrating a challenging, well-rounded curriculum. However, these classes are not required, nor are they the only way to demonstrate a challenging curriculum”</p>

<p>The OP wants to duck out of foreign languages after a single year. Her choice, and her consequences…</p>

[Pearl]

<p>This has probably already been said, but you HAVE to have two years of the SAME foreign language as a minimum for most selective colleges. Some very selective want 3 - 4 years.</p>