How bad is it really if my kid only takes 3 years of a language

[Anonymous]

Hi DCUMs:
I'm freaking out bc DS doesn't have room in his senior schedule to take a fourth year of language. He is really into history and government and wants to do a couple of AP classes in that realm, he is in a DCPS so he has to take DC History and do a senior project. I'm very worried that he will get nixed right off of the bat from a bunch of schools. Does anyone else have any advice? Have not gone to guidance counselor yet.
Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi DCUMs:
I'm freaking out bc DS doesn't have room in his senior schedule to take a fourth year of language. He is really into history and government and wants to do a couple of AP classes in that realm, he is in a DCPS so he has to take DC History and do a senior project. I'm very worried that he will get nixed right off of the bat from a bunch of schools. Does anyone else have any advice? Have not gone to guidance counselor yet.
Thank you!

I will absolutely hurt his chances of admission in any competitive program. That’s just the harsh truth.

[Anonymous]

Eh. We’ve seen it all posted here. Our kid in at plenty of great schools without language senior year. Include explanation in notes. It will be okay.

[Anonymous]

He knows he'll need foreign language in college, right?

Take it and pass it, in college, in order to graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh. We’ve seen it all posted here. Our kid in at plenty of great schools without language senior year. Include explanation in notes. It will be okay.

Did you explain this in the common app?

[Anonymous]

My dc was facing this conundrum and decided to drop the history class for 4th year of language. This was because the CDS of the school they really want to attend recommends 4 years of language. Your son might look at the schools he is most interested in to get a sense. They don’t all require 4 years.

[Anonymous]

If the college requires it then he needs to take the 4 years. If they only recommend 4 or require less then he is actually better off taking classes that he is interested in. I just attended a college symposium with several top schools and only 2 Ivys required 4 years. Everyone else was fine with 3 as long as the replacement was rigorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the college requires it then he needs to take the 4 years. If they only recommend 4 or require less then he is actually better off taking classes that he is interested in. I just attended a college symposium with several top schools and only 2 Ivys required 4 years. Everyone else was fine with 3 as long as the replacement was rigorous.

Can you say which 2 Ivies?

[Anonymous]

Ha, my kid only has 2 years and we’re definitely not stressed about it. He can take it in college.

[Anonymous]

My kid had two... is not from the DC area and two years of language is all the school offered.
Granted, he did not get into Princeton but did well in all his other applications.

[Anonymous]

I will say, if it is UVA, they have been very clear that language is a core class and they want the 5 core each year of HS. I don't think my DD will get in UVA, but she'd like to, so she's taking AP Spanish next year.

[Anonymous]

My kid had 3. Admitted to a T10 this year. There are many, many, many threads on this exact topic, OP. Try a search.

[Anonymous]

2 top 50’s with 3 years only starting in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

I took French only through sophomore year and got into Vandy, Georgia Tech and Tulane.

[Anonymous]

3 years is sufficient. Don't sweat it.