Foreign Language all 4 years?

[Anonymous]

Hello, My DC is interested in applying to NESCAC and Ivies. Do they need to take a foreign language all 4 years in high school? The school counselors aren't necessarily giving a direct answer. DD is considering doubling up on history instead. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, My DC is interested in applying to NESCAC and Ivies. Do they need to take a foreign language all 4 years in high school? The school counselors aren't necessarily giving a direct answer. DD is considering doubling up on history instead. Thoughts?

yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello, My DC is interested in applying to NESCAC and Ivies. Do they need to take a foreign language all 4 years in high school? The school counselors aren't necessarily giving a direct answer. DD is considering doubling up on history instead. Thoughts?

yes

All 4 years, or up to level 4?

[Anonymous]

All 4 years or to the most advanced level offered by your DC’s school. Colleges like to see stick-to-it-iveness.

Unless you DC has a super compelling story for why history was more important to them and it aligns with a specific academic interest or goal.

[Anonymous]

DD at NESCAC and took a langugae all 4 years but her roommate only took a language for 3 years and was admitted ED

[Anonymous]

4 years total

[Anonymous]

For a different high academic D3, we were advised by the admissions liaison for my kid's sport to take the fourth year of language rather than doubling up on another advanced academic class. NESCAC is probably similar.

[Anonymous]

All 4 years in HS is one of the ways to show rigor, so yes, all 4 years (or through the AP Lang, which many in public do in 11th grade)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, My DC is interested in applying to NESCAC and Ivies. Do they need to take a foreign language all 4 years in high school? The school counselors aren't necessarily giving a direct answer. DD is considering doubling up on history instead. Thoughts?

My oldest started at a Nescac this year … and my second attending different one next year. Both took 3 years of language.

[Anonymous]

For parents whose kids are in college now, are any of them still taking a foreign language? Did they like studying it or have any intention of using it throughout their life?

More than 90% of US foreign language instruction is a complete waste of time since few people care about really speaking a language and retaining it. Lots of research on that for those who are interested.

Watching this debate over 3 or 4 years to check off a box to achieve something else just reinforces that reality. Take it to get the credit then DUMP it all and forget it. Less than 10% of US students who take a language can speak it competently later.

Foreign language skills challenge the brain and potentially give a person a lifelong skill and pleasure. I hope at least one or two parents here care about that too.

Yes, I am a foreign language teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For parents whose kids are in college now, are any of them still taking a foreign language? Did they like studying it or have any intention of using it throughout their life?

More than 90% of US foreign language instruction is a complete waste of time since few people care about really speaking a language and retaining it. Lots of research on that for those who are interested.

Watching this debate over 3 or 4 years to check off a box to achieve something else just reinforces that reality. Take it to get the credit then DUMP it all and forget it. Less than 10% of US students who take a language can speak it competently later.

Foreign language skills challenge the brain and potentially give a person a lifelong skill and pleasure. I hope at least one or two parents here care about that too.

Yes, I am a foreign language teacher.

+1. One of my kids was a Spanish double major so he used the language and continued all 4 years in college after 4 in high school. He uses the language in his job.

Other kid took 4 years and then promptly dropped after requirement in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For parents whose kids are in college now, are any of them still taking a foreign language? Did they like studying it or have any intention of using it throughout their life?

More than 90% of US foreign language instruction is a complete waste of time since few people care about really speaking a language and retaining it. Lots of research on that for those who are interested.

Watching this debate over 3 or 4 years to check off a box to achieve something else just reinforces that reality. Take it to get the credit then DUMP it all and forget it. Less than 10% of US students who take a language can speak it competently later.

Foreign language skills challenge the brain and potentially give a person a lifelong skill and pleasure. I hope at least one or two parents here care about that too.

Yes, I am a foreign language teacher.

DD took as much French as her time would allow in college and studied abroad in France as well. She said if her schedule had allowed for more, she would have added another language as well. She is actually tri lingual and loves studying languages and loved the ability to blend in abroad so well bc of her high language ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For parents whose kids are in college now, are any of them still taking a foreign language? Did they like studying it or have any intention of using it throughout their life?

More than 90% of US foreign language instruction is a complete waste of time since few people care about really speaking a language and retaining it. Lots of research on that for those who are interested.

Watching this debate over 3 or 4 years to check off a box to achieve something else just reinforces that reality. Take it to get the credit then DUMP it all and forget it. Less than 10% of US students who take a language can speak it competently later.

Foreign language skills challenge the brain and potentially give a person a lifelong skill and pleasure. I hope at least one or two parents here care about that too.

Yes, I am a foreign language teacher.

My kid is taking the same language they started in 7th grade. they have achieved a fluency that is rated by the US State Department. How they will use it after they are done with college is anyone's guess, but it has been an enjoyable experience for them.

[Anonymous]

PP again - I'm delighted to hear these stories of kids who really learned a language to have it and use it for life. Only a few percent of all Americans speak a second language that they didn't learn at home.

Your kids are special (but you knew that already).

[Anonymous]

I went to Williams, and all of my friends pursued a language. I stayed with the one I had done in high school and moved into studying literature, but several friends switched to a new language and took that all 4 years