Options for Language Instruction after DCPS Cuts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not buying the above in an age when it's not unusual for teens to prep themselves for APs, to prep via summer study and to prep via private tutoring. UVA etc. aren't necessarily going to admit an UMC, non-URM, unhooked straight-A student under the best of circumstances. When a language gets cut, the most ambitious UMC families will find a way forward. There are good heritage language weekend programs in MoCo that will prep your kid for AP Mandarin nicely. There's also the 4-week long Concordia camp for HS credit in MN (just $6,000!) and immersion camps abroad.

Not many of us can manage that kind of expense or time.

[Anonymous]

So don't expect your kid to get into UVA etc. College admissions officers care what kids have achieved. Excuses don't tend to fly for most UMC applicants.

[Anonymous]

Not sure why we suddenly care so much about UVA. For Virginia residents it’s a great price/prestige deal, obviously. But for DC residents it‘s not.

Anyway, what UVA says is “Make sure that your class schedule demonstrates that you are taking advantage of all that your school offers.” https://admission.virginia.edu/i-am/high-school-student

I would take them at their word. Otherwise you make yourself crazy chasing shadows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1206590.page

Competitive colleges want to see four years of foreign language. UVA treats it like a core class, not an extra. Walls is really screwing over those rising juniors and seniors who have been taking Chinese. They should have cut a counselor instead.

No one, not even UVA, is going to hold it against kids that the program at their high school was cut. Just as they don’t hold it against Walls kids now when AP can’t be offered because there’s not enough demand.

Like colleges know the language was cut. It's not like their data screeners have fields for personnel changes.

+1. Initial screening in competitive schools doesn’t care or know if your school offers it or not. Don’t meet minimum criteria and your application is going to be rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not buying the above in an age when it's not unusual for teens to prep themselves for APs, to prep via summer study and to prep via private tutoring. UVA etc. aren't necessarily going to admit an UMC, non-URM, unhooked straight-A student under the best of circumstances. When a language gets cut, the most ambitious UMC families will find a way forward. There are good heritage language weekend programs in MoCo that will prep your kid for AP Mandarin nicely. There's also the 4-week long Concordia camp for HS credit in MN (just $6,000!) and immersion camps abroad.

Not many of us can manage that kind of expense or time.

+1. Standard to offer the language in school. I’m not interested in committing my kids weekend or summer to it even if I can afford it. You give up the time for other things like hobbies, sports, travel, etc….

There’s a huge opportunity lost/cost and making excuses for DCPS to get off the hook benefits no one.

DCPS is just going down the tubes. It’s sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1206590.page

Competitive colleges want to see four years of foreign language. UVA treats it like a core class, not an extra. Walls is really screwing over those rising juniors and seniors who have been taking Chinese. They should have cut a counselor instead.

No one, not even UVA, is going to hold it against kids that the program at their high school was cut. Just as they don’t hold it against Walls kids now when AP can’t be offered because there’s not enough demand.

Like colleges know the language was cut. It's not like their data screeners have fields for personnel changes.

They get information for the school counselor about course offerings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1206590.page

Competitive colleges want to see four years of foreign language. UVA treats it like a core class, not an extra. Walls is really screwing over those rising juniors and seniors who have been taking Chinese. They should have cut a counselor instead.

No one, not even UVA, is going to hold it against kids that the program at their high school was cut. Just as they don’t hold it against Walls kids now when AP can’t be offered because there’s not enough demand.

Like colleges know the language was cut. It's not like their data screeners have fields for personnel changes.

They get information for the school counselor about course offerings.

Even so, you really think in the thousands and thousands of applicants being reviewed, they are going to look at each individual school course offerings?

Foreign language is assumed to be a basic core course offering and requirement when they see the kid doesn’t have it while all the other applicants do, do you really think they are going to make the next cut?

I agree with poster above. Walls is screwing over those kids who have taken Mandarin.

[Anonymous]

I work in college admissions and I'm not seeing breaks for high SES kids on the receiving end of DCPS' poor decisions. UMC teens either impress admissions officers or don't. If your student is on track to take AP Mandarin in DCPS, complete the prep somehow, have them take the exam and score high. That's the only way to salvage an opportunity lost. Don't kid yourself that "information from the school counselor about course offerings" will help.

[Anonymous]

If you can't, or won't, support Mandarin outside school, why bother? Chinese is much more difficult to learn than the other AP languages, even for the children of native speakers. It's not uncommon for Walls and J-R AP Chinese students to score low, 2s, 3s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in college admissions and I'm not seeing breaks for high SES kids on the receiving end of DCPS' poor decisions. UMC teens either impress admissions officers or don't. If your student is on track to take AP Mandarin in DCPS, complete the prep somehow, have them take the exam and score high. That's the only way to salvage an opportunity lost. Don't kid yourself that "information from the school counselor about course offerings" will help.

Lots of kids don’t score well on the AP regardless of whether they take the course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can't, or won't, support Mandarin outside school, why bother? Chinese is much more difficult to learn than the other AP languages, even for the children of native speakers. It's not uncommon for Walls and J-R AP Chinese students to score low, 2s, 3s.

Because some families don’t need fluency and want to expose their kid to another language.

Your post reeks of privilege and entitlement and condescending. Get off your high horse FFS

[Anonymous]

If you prioritize languages then go to the immersion charters and then DCI.

There is a cohort of Deal IN families who do this and are at DCI.

Spanish is the strongest in feeders and DCI. Chinese is not as strong but your kid will learn alot more than taking it in a non-immersion high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you prioritize languages then go to the immersion charters and then DCI.

There is a cohort of Deal IN families who do this and are at DCI.

Spanish is the strongest in feeders and DCI. Chinese is not as strong but your kid will learn alot more than taking it in a non-immersion high school

Typo IB not IN

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can't, or won't, support Mandarin outside school, why bother? Chinese is much more difficult to learn than the other AP languages, even for the children of native speakers. It's not uncommon for Walls and J-R AP Chinese students to score low, 2s, 3s.

Because some families don’t need fluency and want to expose their kid to another language.

Your post reeks of privilege and entitlement and condescending. Get off your high horse FFS

. No, the post is grounded and pratical, stating an inconvenient truth. If language exposure is what you’re after for your mono-lingual American family, Spanish, obviously. Chinese demands unusual committment to pay off. No point in pretending otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can't, or won't, support Mandarin outside school, why bother? Chinese is much more difficult to learn than the other AP languages, even for the children of native speakers. It's not uncommon for Walls and J-R AP Chinese students to score low, 2s, 3s.

Because some families don’t need fluency and want to expose their kid to another language.

Your post reeks of privilege and entitlement and condescending. Get off your high horse FFS

. No, the post is grounded and pratical, stating an inconvenient truth. If language exposure is what you’re after for your mono-lingual American family, Spanish, obviously. Chinese demands unusual committment to pay off. No point in pretending otherwise.

No it’s not. There are many people who are not fluent in Chinese but can communicate and understand basics and have a conversation. In fact, that’s the overwhelming majority of non-native speakers.

In fact, lots of kids of even native families are not ever fluent and maybe can speak basic mandarin. Their understanding is more extensive though.

To say that no one should take mandarin unless they are fully committed to what? Fluency? That is totally wrong.