Do colleges really want to see a foreign language class every year of high school?

[Anonymous]

My son just started high school. He took a foreign language exam with FCPS last year for high school credit, and passed with 3 credits, which are going on the transcript and satisfy the foreign language graduation requirement. So technically he no longer needs to take any foreign language classes to graduate.

However, I am told that colleges really want to see a foreign language class taken every year of high school, even if you enter high school with foreign language credits. How true is that? Appreciate your advice. He's not taking any foreign language classes right now, but if he must, he will for the next three years.

[Anonymous]

not this again

[Anonymous]

I think it depends a lot on the college. UVA definitely prefers high rigor, so either all 4 years or through the most advanced course your school offers. There's a section of the common data set with their recommendation that you might check out for schools he's interested in. For UVA: https://ira.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1106/files/2025-03/CDS_2024-2025_508.pdf

[Anonymous]

My kid -- who is now at a T10, and had great grades/ scores/ ECs -- was told by her private college counselor that dropping a language after three years would probably mean no T20 acceptances. And that was even if DC added a tough course at a local university instead.

So yes, the conventional wisdom seems to be that kids need to show foreign language every year

[Anonymous]

My kid took AP spanish in 10th grade. There was no higher FL class in school. He had done 5 yrs of Spanish if you take the HS credits earned in MS, and the HS courses earned in HS.

Nope of the schools had a problem with that.

[Anonymous]

I don't think your child needs to take a class every year, but if your high school has an AP language class, they should take it through the AP class. For the poster above, their kid took AP spanish in 10th. My kid will be taking it in 12th.

[Anonymous]

depends on the school -- DS is at a SLAC -- and they made it clear it is helpful to take 4 years of increasing rigor of "the big 5" -- math, english, social studies, science, foreign or classics language. DS was fairly proficient in spanish when entering HS -- he took regular track spanish (vs honors). This left him the "mental capacity" for APs while still showing increasing rigor, etc...the schools he applied to just saw 4 years in spanish

[Anonymous]

depends on the school -- DS is at a SLAC -- and they made it clear it is helpful to take 4 years of increasing rigor of "the big 5" -- math, english, social studies, science, foreign or classics language. DS was fairly proficient in spanish when entering HS -- he took regular track spanish (vs honors). This left him the "mental capacity" for APs while still showing increasing rigor, etc...the schools he applied to just saw 4 years in spanish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid took AP spanish in 10th grade. There was no higher FL class in school. He had done 5 yrs of Spanish if you take the HS credits earned in MS, and the HS courses earned in HS.

Nope of the schools had a problem with that.

None of what schools? I'm hearing some schools want a FL from 9-12, even if you take the AP test in an earlier grade.

[Anonymous]

yes they need to keep up their language skills and keep taking FL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:depends on the school -- DS is at a SLAC -- and they made it clear it is helpful to take 4 years of increasing rigor of "the big 5" -- math, english, social studies, science, foreign or classics language. DS was fairly proficient in spanish when entering HS -- he took regular track spanish (vs honors). This left him the "mental capacity" for APs while still showing increasing rigor, etc...the schools he applied to just saw 4 years in spanish

I think that's where we're going with my kid, who's been in a DLI program since the 1st. What's the point of rushing the AP test if most target schools want 4 years? Might as well have an easy FL class and focus on AP math and science classes.

[Anonymous]

Some do and some don't care. UVa A&S cares, just fyi.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids at T10s who only took through level 3 foreign language in high school.

Yes, 4 are recommended. It's not a requirement for admission. Whether that matters depends on what else is on the transcript.

OP, please try to search for older threads. There's a long one about every two weeks in this forum because UVA likes to imply that it is a requirement there, though there are always posters with different experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:depends on the school -- DS is at a SLAC -- and they made it clear it is helpful to take 4 years of increasing rigor of "the big 5" -- math, english, social studies, science, foreign or classics language. DS was fairly proficient in spanish when entering HS -- he took regular track spanish (vs honors). This left him the "mental capacity" for APs while still showing increasing rigor, etc...the schools he applied to just saw 4 years in spanish

I think that's where we're going with my kid, who's been in a DLI program since the 1st. What's the point of rushing the AP test if most target schools want 4 years? Might as well have an easy FL class and focus on AP math and science classes.

+2 This was our strategy too. My DD took language from kindergarten at a private k-8 and could have started high school in level 3. In 9th grade, we made a choice to have DD enroll in 9th in level 1 honors so she ended up at the AP level in 12th. Super easy-A until the AP level. Allowed her to concentrate her energy and effort on other classes.