UVA and 4 years of foreign language

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have read this post and I disagree with OP's (and almost everyone's) interpretation.

She goes out of her way to say that the "goal is to show proficiency in a second language" and then adds that you might lose profiencieny if you don't take it all four years. But you may have already shown proficiency by taking up to level 4 as a sophomore.

This is what we know:
1. UVA wants proficiency in fl
2. UVA wants rigor
3. UVA assesses "holistically"

So back to the future stem major who posted this question a couple of months ago, it is very clear that the kid who reached Spanish 4 as a sophomore and then goes on to take Physics AP and CS APs instead will be fine - no PREFERABLE - to the kid who takes it all four years to reach level 4 .

Wow. Did you leave out the entire second paragraph of her answer on purpose??


So I don't have to take a language all four years of high school?

If the goal as a UVA student is to show proficiency in a second language, it behooves the student to keep taking language classes throughout high school. If you take time off from language work, you will most likely lose proficiency. You will probably have to do more work as a UVA student to meet the requirement.

Some high school students who say they're "done" with language work because they've met their high school's graduation requirement, but keep in mind that being competitive in a selective college admission process usually means going beyond graduation requirements.

I don't understand your logic. First of all, if she says "you will probably have to do more work as a UVA student," then that means you were accepted!! That has always been the entire point of the question: getting accepted to UVA. The question was never, how to make sure you get out of the UVA language requirement.

Secondly, someone who gets to year 4 by sophomore year has very likely gone WELL BEYOND the "graduation requirements."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear, I never said taking a language all four years was a “requirement.” I said not taking one was not a “good look.” And that’s what Dean J’s October post confirms.

Still disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have read this post and I disagree with OP's (and almost everyone's) interpretation.

She goes out of her way to say that the "goal is to show proficiency in a second language" and then adds that you might lose profiencieny if you don't take it all four years. But you may have already shown proficiency by taking up to level 4 as a sophomore.

This is what we know:
1. UVA wants proficiency in fl
2. UVA wants rigor
3. UVA assesses "holistically"

So back to the future stem major who posted this question a couple of months ago, it is very clear that the kid who reached Spanish 4 as a sophomore and then goes on to take Physics AP and CS APs instead will be fine - no PREFERABLE - to the kid who takes it all four years to reach level 4 .

Wow. Did you leave out the entire second paragraph of her answer on purpose??


So I don't have to take a language all four years of high school?

If the goal as a UVA student is to show proficiency in a second language, it behooves the student to keep taking language classes throughout high school. If you take time off from language work, you will most likely lose proficiency. You will probably have to do more work as a UVA student to meet the requirement.

Some high school students who say they're "done" with language work because they've met their high school's graduation requirement, but keep in mind that being competitive in a selective college admission process usually means going beyond graduation requirements.

Just as I suspected. It is not, in fact, necessary, to take all 4 years of a FL to get into UVA.

Myth dispelled!

People lose all common sense when this question arises every two months. UVA cares about rigor and grades and proficiency much more than seeing a language every year. I know this because I have seen numerous kids get in to UVA having stopped after junior and even sophomore year. I am not talking about kids who stopped after Spanish 2 because that would not impress anyone or show rigor. OF COURSE the general advice is to take it every year because most kids in this country need to take a language all four high school years to even pretend to be proficient. But kids who stopped after a very high level and went on to take AP classes in their chosen fields... you don't think that is better than limping up to the finish line?

[Anonymous]

The reason people bicker about these things is because colleges are so opaque.

UVA, and others, could easily put this discussion to rest by saying:

4 years of language is a requirement for applicants. Exceptions may be granted for extenuating circumstances.

Transparency is a must! And, no, posting vaguely on the Dean’s instagram account does not count as transparency. Requirements ought to be clearly outlined on the official UVA admissions page and CDS.

UVA is not alone in being opaque. European universities are so much better at articulating their preferences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason people bicker about these things is because colleges are so opaque.

UVA, and others, could easily put this discussion to rest by saying:

4 years of language is a requirement for applicants. Exceptions may be granted for extenuating circumstances.

Transparency is a must! And, no, posting vaguely on the Dean’s instagram account does not count as transparency. Requirements ought to be clearly outlined on the official UVA admissions page and CDS.

UVA is not alone in being opaque. European universities are so much better at articulating their preferences.

I googled and found this. Seems pretty clear to me.

https://college.as.virginia.edu/world-language-requirement-faqs

[Anonymous]

Basically, take the AP World Language class to improve your chances of being admitted, most of all if applying to Arts and Sciences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason people bicker about these things is because colleges are so opaque.

UVA, and others, could easily put this discussion to rest by saying:

4 years of language is a requirement for applicants. Exceptions may be granted for extenuating circumstances.

Transparency is a must! And, no, posting vaguely on the Dean’s instagram account does not count as transparency. Requirements ought to be clearly outlined on the official UVA admissions page and CDS.

UVA is not alone in being opaque. European universities are so much better at articulating their preferences.

It is not opaque at all, they are super clear about it. It is not a requirement. You don’t have to have four years. They like to see it, but you are not out of you don’t have it. They also like to see highest rigor, but kids will also get it without taking AP World or BC calc. These anecdotes are fine - people get it without it. This has been beaten to death - why do people keeping bringing it up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear, I never said taking a language all four years was a “requirement.” I said not taking one was not a “good look.” And that’s what Dean J’s October post confirms.

Still disagree.

SEAS students get away with not taking 4 years of FL. Anyone saying it's not a problem for Arts and Sciences is kidding themselves. If UVA is your student's dream school, it is a big mistake to not take 4 years of FL and not to take APUSH if you are from NoVa.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to take 4 years, but I do absolutely believe it helps.

And why not learn as much foreign language as you can while you can?

To me it's a win:win!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear, I never said taking a language all four years was a “requirement.” I said not taking one was not a “good look.” And that’s what Dean J’s October post confirms.

Still disagree.

SEAS students get away with not taking 4 years of FL. Anyone saying it's not a problem for Arts and Sciences is kidding themselves. If UVA is your student's dream school, it is a big mistake to not take 4 years of FL and not to take APUSH if you are from NoVa.

My UVA student did take 4 years of FL. Did NOT take APUSH. They were clearly a stem kid and focused on that while also taking high rigor across the board, just not APUSH. There is always an exception I guess, maybe this is where the holistic admissions really plays in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason people bicker about these things is because colleges are so opaque.

UVA, and others, could easily put this discussion to rest by saying:

4 years of language is a requirement for applicants. Exceptions may be granted for extenuating circumstances.

Transparency is a must! And, no, posting vaguely on the Dean’s instagram account does not count as transparency. Requirements ought to be clearly outlined on the official UVA admissions page and CDS.

UVA is not alone in being opaque. European universities are so much better at articulating their preferences.

💯

[Anonymous]

Students get rejected all the time from UVA with great test scores, high GPAs, all the ECs, AP world language + APUSH.

Now, don’t complain if your super high achieving kid is not accepted, when they didn’t take AP world language. Was not having that class the reason why they were rejected? We’ll never know; but why hurt their chances if UVA is their dream school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why you are posting something from two months ago. This is always the message. Also don’t want to hear the people coming back to say their kid got in with fewer than four years. Why are you starting this up again?

Why are you joining the conversation?

[Anonymous]

I do wonder why DCUM rehashes this wvery 2 months...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do wonder why DCUM rehashes this wvery 2 months...

Because some people MUST believe there is a rigid formula or else their entire world view is ruined. Anyone who says anything to refute this is wrong.