APS-Language years rq’d for colleges

[Anonymous]

Don’t most top colleges say they want to see 4 years of language during HS? Thread over in AAP group says “the top Spanish students coming out of APS's immersion, if they stay in APS, are tracked into AP Spanish freshman year, with the rest in AP Spanish as sophomores.” If so, do those kids take a different language in HS? Or are those kids having success getting into top 10/Ivy stopping language in 9th/qpth?

[Anonymous]

There's a capstone immersion class that's offered after AP Spanish, but my understanding is that top schools are happy having seen the AP class on the transcript. They aren't looking for a number of years, but a level of proficiency.

[Anonymous]

At W-L, the counselors have said in the past that some colleges want to see foreign language in all 4 years of high school. Not all colleges, just certain ones. UNC was the only one I remember that they named.

[Anonymous]

Actually, APS immersion kids take immersion 9 in 9th, AP Spanish lang in 10th and AP Spanish lit in 11th (typically). Some also take another language as an elective, but many don’t. I have no idea what colleges think about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At W-L, the counselors have said in the past that some colleges want to see foreign language in all 4 years of high school. Not all colleges, just certain ones. UNC was the only one I remember that they named.

I wonder if that would still be true if you’ve already taken two AP classes in the language but don’t take a language class senior year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At W-L, the counselors have said in the past that some colleges want to see foreign language in all 4 years of high school. Not all colleges, just certain ones. UNC was the only one I remember that they named.

WL doesn't have the immersion program so the counselors there wouldn't be informed. There isn't an expectation that you take classes that a high school doesn't offer and most high schools stop at the AP capstone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, APS immersion kids take immersion 9 in 9th, AP Spanish lang in 10th and AP Spanish lit in 11th (typically). Some also take another language as an elective, but many don’t. I have no idea what colleges think about it.

That's the easier pathway. APS also has a pathway with AP Spanish Language in 9th. See page 24:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/05/Dual-Language-Immersion-Program-Framework.pdf

[Anonymous]

My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, APS immersion kids take immersion 9 in 9th, AP Spanish lang in 10th and AP Spanish lit in 11th (typically). Some also take another language as an elective, but many don’t. I have no idea what colleges think about it.

That's the easier pathway. APS also has a pathway with AP Spanish Language in 9th. See page 24:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/05/Dual-Language-Immersion-Program-Framework.pdf

Do you know anyone following the path of AP Spanish in 9th? I see the document, but know of no one doing this (my kid is in 10th in immersion, and we know older and younger kids in the program, too). Some immersion kids actually take immersion 10 in 10th and don’t take the first AP class until 11th, if they aren’t ready yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!

I have heard that some schools want to see it all four years in high school. I think UVA is very vocal about it. My language- hating kid wanted to drop it. I told them to email admissions at the places they wanted to go and they mostly responded that it’s not necessary to have it all four years. Some explicitly said they only look at STEM classes for engineering admissions.

So I think it depends on the school and intended major. My kid dropped despite me wanting to not close off options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!

I have heard that some schools want to see it all four years in high school. I think UVA is very vocal about it. My language- hating kid wanted to drop it. I told them to email admissions at the places they wanted to go and they mostly responded that it’s not necessary to have it all four years. Some explicitly said they only look at STEM classes for engineering admissions.

So I think it depends on the school and intended major. My kid dropped despite me wanting to not close off options.

Thanks. My kid is a likely STEM major

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t most top colleges say they want to see 4 years of language during HS? Thread over in AAP group says “the top Spanish students coming out of APS's immersion, if they stay in APS, are tracked into AP Spanish freshman year, with the rest in AP Spanish as sophomores.” If so, do those kids take a different language in HS? Or are those kids having success getting into top 10/Ivy stopping language in 9th/qpth?

Hahaha. Have you looked at the admissions results in this? Your kids has got a 1/500 shot lady. That’s the reality. It’s less than 4-5 kids from THE COUNTY going to Top 10/Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!

I have heard that some schools want to see it all four years in high school. I think UVA is very vocal about it. My language- hating kid wanted to drop it. I told them to email admissions at the places they wanted to go and they mostly responded that it’s not necessary to have it all four years. Some explicitly said they only look at STEM classes for engineering admissions.

So I think it depends on the school and intended major. My kid dropped despite me wanting to not close off options.

So if you’ve maxed out/taken all available classes in that language, does UVA want you to start a new language senior year?

[Anonymous]

I wish APS gave out more guidance on taking languages starting in middle school. For 7th grade, we didn’t know language courses counted towards high school gpa. We learned about that important fact when DC was selecting classes for 8th grade. She was so focused on doing well in Math and other core courses, that her grade slid to a D one quarter. She didn’t understand once class pace picked up, so she fell behind and disengaged.

[Anonymous]

^^ so she has As and Bs in her intensified classes and Pre-Algebra but a “D” (now up to a C) in the language class that matters going forward. Sigh