APS-Language years rq’d for colleges

[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?

Immersion kids tend to have 2 years of high school language in MS. They hit the 4-year mark as sophomores. Some will choose to take the AP exam, but it is not necessary. Some will stop to take electives that are more closely related to their interests, like extra science or math or music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I know in FCPS that 6th year languages are DE, the HS that have immersion kids feed into them tend to have that program prepared because they end up with a decent number of kids in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Can she expunge the grade? I thought you could expunge HS grades in MS but you need to ask before HS starts. Kids expunge Algebra and Geometry and then retake it the following year when they struggle with the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

They've sent out tons of communications about this. It was well broadcast and expanded at our MS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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...rogram-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.

No, I'm not aware of any students actually following that path. I have one older immersion student and one recent grad. Neither was ready for an AP class freshman year. Both took AP Spanish Language as 10th graders, and AP Spanish Literature as 11th graders. That seems to be the most common path for immersion students.

My immersion recent grad was admitted to UVA and W&M without a language senior year. That kid took an AP science senior year, and it didn't make sense to adjust their class schedule to start a new language senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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...rogram-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.

No, I'm not aware of any students actually following that path. I have one older immersion student and one recent grad. Neither was ready for an AP class freshman year. Both took AP Spanish Language as 10th graders, and AP Spanish Literature as 11th graders. That seems to be the most common path for immersion students.

My immersion recent grad was admitted to UVA and W&M without a language senior year. That kid took an AP science senior year, and it didn't make sense to adjust their class schedule to start a new language senior year.

Thanks for the info. That’s what I’ve seen as well in terms of immersion students’ HS language path.