UVA successful admit without taking world language all the way through?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone had a kid get into UVA without taking a world language all the way through high school? DC stopped taking a world lang after sophomore year. They technically have four years of a high school language class since their school system starts offering high school credit classes in 7th. They were not particularly good at the language and didn't like it. It didn't fit into the schedule junior year because DC wanted to take other classes that are also very rigorous. It probably could fit senior year but DC doesn't want to take it. Wondering if it's even worth applying to UVA?

[Anonymous]

Most people will insist 4 years in HS are required, and there will always be people who have an example of someone who got into without it. If your student is otherwise a strong candidate it doesn’t hurt to try.

[Anonymous]

Most likely will not get into UVA. Sorry, OP.

[Anonymous]

From the APUSH thread:

25 pages across three years and we come to the same conclusion every single time. UVA likes to see strong courses in every subject, but there are exceptions to every rule that this forum can cook up.

[Anonymous]

Yes. There are kids that did not take all the way through, including our first year student. People get snippy over this. Search for old threads.
No harm in trying - especially if not applying to A&S.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the APUSH thread:

25 pages across three years and we come to the same conclusion every single time. UVA likes to see strong courses in every subject, but there are exceptions to every rule that this forum can cook up.

Yeah “cooked up” admits that actually occurred. Eye roll. Those admits are no less deserving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the APUSH thread:

25 pages across three years and we come to the same conclusion every single time. UVA likes to see strong courses in every subject, but there are exceptions to every rule that this forum can cook up.

Yeah “cooked up” admits that actually occurred. Eye roll. Those admits are no less deserving.

What are you talking about? The post is basically saying that for every rule this forum comes up with, there are exceptions. People here say you neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed four years of language, but then AOs themselves and other comments contradict that.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is graduating from UVA this month and she stopped taking Spanish in 10th grade. She believes she barely got in as in her application notes, it noted that her schedule strength dropped in later HS years. So she may be somewhat of an exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the APUSH thread:

25 pages across three years and we come to the same conclusion every single time. UVA likes to see strong courses in every subject, but there are exceptions to every rule that this forum can cook up.

Yeah “cooked up” admits that actually occurred. Eye roll. Those admits are no less deserving.

What are you talking about? The post is basically saying that for every rule this forum comes up with, there are exceptions. People here say you neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed four years of language, but then AOs themselves and other comments contradict that.

Of course there are exceptions, but Dean J has said year after year, they want rigor in all five areas in high school, which includes a foreign language. She doesn't say "must have" so there will be admits who don't have four years in high school.

OP: don't get confused that:

a. bc there are exceptions it means that UVA doesn't really care about this (meaning, this isn't a myth going around that UVA wants 4 HS years of FL);

b. your kid's 4 years, inc two in middle school, will satisfy what UVA considers rigor in FL;

c. your kid can still get in without four years, but it will be considered in light of the remainder of the app

d. other kids are taking FL and don't like it and they also have plenty of other rigorous courses - don't think those kids are choosing FL OR rigor in other areas.

Will your kid have finished 4 years of a FL or 3 if takes no more? For many in FCPS, 2 years in middle school = 1 year of HS FL. That's why I'm asking.

[Anonymous]

Not this again

[Anonymous]

What is your child has a FL exemption due to dyslexia? My DC is only in middle school now but I’m wondering if colleges will still hold it against her for not taking FL.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know the answer but I think it’s so dumb colleges do this. My son is dropping Spanish after spamish 4 so he can take double AP sciences. I took 8 years of Spanish and I would say I am proficient but not fluent. One thing I’ve learned traveling through Latin America is that Americans (US) are learning jack-sh&t in their HS Spanish courses. I hear them with their awful accents and bad syntax. And people are constantly complimenting my Spanish with genuine surprise in their voices, asking me where I learned to speak such good Spanish. So I have concluded that forcing lots of kids to take four years of Spanish IN HS does not result in any actual useful skill set. (And in fact, they learn more Spanish if they take 4 years from ages 11-16 rather than ages 14-18, since the earlier you learn it, the better your ear is.).

[Anonymous]

My son started Spanish in 9th and stopped after 11th, but he was admitted to Engineering (2023 HS grad).

[Anonymous]

DS was accepted to UVA OOS this application cycle and he did not take a language his Sr year, and he never took an AP language class. He also didn’t take multi var so we assumed he wouldn’t get accepted with this two issues so his acceptance was a surprise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know the answer but I think it’s so dumb colleges do this. My son is dropping Spanish after spamish 4 so he can take double AP sciences. I took 8 years of Spanish and I would say I am proficient but not fluent. One thing I’ve learned traveling through Latin America is that Americans (US) are learning jack-sh&t in their HS Spanish courses. I hear them with their awful accents and bad syntax. And people are constantly complimenting my Spanish with genuine surprise in their voices, asking me where I learned to speak such good Spanish. So I have concluded that forcing lots of kids to take four years of Spanish IN HS does not result in any actual useful skill set. (And in fact, they learn more Spanish if they take 4 years from ages 11-16 rather than ages 14-18, since the earlier you learn it, the better your ear is.).

See, here’s the thing, no one gives a shit what you think.

The actual answer when it comes to UVA is that Dean J has made crystal clear many times that she would prefer to have language taken all the way through high school and that the school does not look kindly upon applicants from students who double up on AP sciences at the expense of foreign language.

As for your comment about American students and their accents, that is a very common occurrence but isn’t an issue so long as the student can easily can be understood. That’s all that matters. It’s hard for any student of foreign language to master the accent without spending any time living in a country where it’s the first language. It’s not just an American thing.