APS-Language years rq’d for colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I now wish dd hadn’t taken a language starting in 7th. For one the teachers have been awful and I don’t think she’s actually learning the language. For two it would be really nice to be a freshman and have Spanish 1 not Spanish 3…with no real penalty to getting into college.

For some of DD's classmates, they care about maximizing GPA, and there is no quality point for language levels 1-4. Need AP/IB for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah I now wish dd hadn’t taken a language starting in 7th. For one the teachers have been awful and I don’t think she’s actually learning the language. For two it would be really nice to be a freshman and have Spanish 1 not Spanish 3…with no real penalty to getting into college.

My kid loves the 7th grade spanish class but insists they learn more on Dulingo. I doubt it but fine, game-a-fy learning.

[Anonymous]

My kid is STEM focused and she's sticking with the 3 years required. For her, it's more important to do more math or science or engineering or computer science. For potential liberal arts majors, four years of language might be more useful.

[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!

Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?

My DC, who got into UVA this year, didn't have a language sr. year, but did take their language up to AP level.
I think stopping 11th grade with language, if you're taking an AP is not going to disqualify many folks.

However, wanted to mention that middle school language years don't count as high school language years, even if taken for high school credit. At most, you might want to think of a middle school year as half a high school year. But generally I don't think it's necessary to switch and take a new language, if you max out language in 10th grade. I don't know about immersion, and finishing AP in 9th--I don't know how to think about that.

[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!

Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?

My DC, who got into UVA this year, didn't have a language sr. year, but did take their language up to AP level.
I think stopping 11th grade with language, if you're taking an AP is not going to disqualify many folks.

However, wanted to mention that middle school language years don't count as high school language years, even if taken for high school credit. At most, you might want to think of a middle school year as half a high school year. But generally I don't think it's necessary to switch and take a new language, if you max out language in 10th grade. I don't know about immersion, and finishing AP in 9th--I don't know how to think about that.

Immersion kids take both AP Spanish lang & AP Spanish lit. I don’t know anyone who actually took the former in 9th, but even if they did, they would take the second in 10th. Almost everyone in APS immersion takes those classes in 10th & 11th. You could continue with Advanced studies in 12th (I think it’s considered post-AP, but no GPA bump), but I think few do because of trying to fit in other classes they want/need.

[Anonymous]

Immersion students can also take AP Bio in Spanish. My kids are considering doing that to get some exposure to Spanish senior year after they have taken both AP Spanish classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Immersion students can also take AP Bio in Spanish. My kids are considering doing that to get some exposure to Spanish senior year after they have taken both AP Spanish classes.

Really? When did that become an option? I only knew about regular intensified bio in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is STEM focused and she's sticking with the 3 years required. For her, it's more important to do more math or science or engineering or computer science. For potential liberal arts majors, four years of language might be more useful.

That was my kid too.

[Anonymous]

My kids both stopped language after junior year, when they took French 5. So, 3 yrs in HS but 5 yrs total. Both STEM majors. Didn't get into UVA (but was a reach anyway based on GPA), but did get into W&M, VT, and similarly ranked schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids both stopped language after junior year, when they took French 5. So, 3 yrs in HS but 5 yrs total. Both STEM majors. Didn't get into UVA (but was a reach anyway based on GPA), but did get into W&M, VT, and similarly ranked schools.

+1

Not all schools care

[Anonymous]

We are likely and exception. My kid only took 3 year of a foreign language and got into UVA this year EA. Very strong application so obviously they make exceptions to their “we highly recommend 4 years of a language.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I’ve counted 10+ on IG so far and regular decisions haven’t even come out yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is STEM focused and she's sticking with the 3 years required. For her, it's more important to do more math or science or engineering or computer science. For potential liberal arts majors, four years of language might be more useful.

One of my kids did this too, but you should know that UVA doesn't like this. Just FYI

[Anonymous]

However, wanted to mention that middle school language years don't count as high school language years, even if taken for high school credit. At most, you might want to think of a middle school year as half a high school year. But generally I don't think it's necessary to switch and take a new language, if you max out language in 10th grade. I don't know about immersion, and finishing AP in 9th--I don't know how to think about that.

I’m not understanding this. It does count and it shows up on your high school transcript and towards your GPA. But the recommendation is for students to take all 5 core academic classes- math/science/english/social studies + world language, all 4 years in HS unless you max out what is offered. I’ve had 2 kids graduate from APS and both went through the AP level. One in 11th so did not take a language in 12th. One in 12th. They are at T20 schools.

Note that you can drop middle school classes from your HS transcript and they don’t show up as taken. If you do all 4 years in HS it would be wise if you got a poor grade in the middle school course. You decide this by start of senior year.