How many years of foreign language needed in high school for college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As with most things, I think it depends/ymmv. Each college reports their requirements for admittance, but for any selective school, the bar is higher.

In FCPS, MS language is on the HS transcript and the grade is factored into the GPA. And yes, it was bizarre for my kid to enter their MS French class into the SRAR (I think for VT).

Generally speaking, foreign language is now considered the 5th core academic subject so the goal should be 4 years in HS, or maxing out the curriculum, whichever comes first.

Make the decision that's best for your student and let the chips fall where they may. My college aged DC skipped French senior year in favor of an extra history course, which aligned with his interests/desired major. DC's acceptances were all over the map, but they did end up being admitted to 1 reach (T20).

Just follow the CDS recommendations for each school guys.

Most require 2 years but recommend 3 years. Very few recommend 4 years, so it won't be the determining factor for acceptance.

STEM (or business/analytical) vs humanities major should guide each applicant's planning when it comes to the foreign language component.

[Anonymous]

My kids only had three years each. One went into STEM, the other in political science. The STEM kid is double-majoring in a different language than he one they had in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two for sure, which he has.

Four to be safe.

Sometimes you just need to make your choice and see what happens. He’ll certainly get in somewhere.

He has 4 years, if you count high school courses taken in middle school since he took Spanish I in 7th . Does that count?

That does NOT count at most colleges. Does algebra count as a year of math if you take it in 8th grade?

Yes, I think it does. It appears on my kids’ HS transcripts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the name of the college and “common data set.” Find the most recent version and look at section C5. Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended.

This won’t answer the Q of whether a college cares about your MS classes.

Colleges DON'T care about MS classes.

Obviously, right?

You might think it’s obvious but many colleges require students to report middle school courses taken for high school credit on the SRAR.

“Obviously” a college wouldn’t require you to report a class they don’t care about, right?

Middle school is over.

Move on.

Do you know that some school sysyems include the MS classes on the HS transcript and in the HS GPA for languages and math

+1. This was true at DC's high school. Two years of honors Chinese were included on the HS transcript and factored into HS GPA. Took two more years of Chinese in HS. Got into nearly every college applied to (T30-50).

The key is the selectivity of the school. Colleges in the T1-30 range are going to have higher expectations of the # of years of language taken during high school, excluding those taken during middle school.

Not true. Two of my kids who are at T5 schools had their first two years of language in middle school and their next 2-3 years in high school. All at advanced level, one completed sophomore year, and the other by junior year. Neither took foreign language senior year, but they had demonstrated advanced proficiency prior to then--AP curriculum. The balance of their HS curriculum was highly advanced, so class rigor was not an issue. They had several classmates who chose a similar path and ended up at top colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the whole MS vs HS thing-

Kid #1 starts Spanish 1 in 9th, finishes Spanish 4 in 12th

Kid #2 starts Spanish 3 in 9th (2 years in MS), finishes with Spanish 4 in 10th

They both went through level 4, but kid #2 freed up their schedule for an extra AP class in both 11th and 12th. But kid #1 is more desirable for colleges?

Kid #2 should take AP Spanish.

Kid #1 won't be able to take it.

[Anonymous]

Once again misinformation about Princeton's foreign language requirements was posted here. I hope any applicant does their own research and doesn't rely on this board for their sources.

Nowhere does Princeton state that all 4 years must be taken in high school. They only state a preference for completion of 4 years of a foreign language. I know from personal experience that those 4 years don't all have to be in high school. And furthermore, Princeton's admissions page is pretty clear that while they prefer 4 years of a foreign language, they give full consideration to applicants who come from schools that don't offer that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it matters if it's in HS or MS - selective colleges want to see 4 years in HS (same language, not Spanish 3 and 4 and then French 1 and 2). You have to show rigor compared to classmates, and the way to do that is foreign language, math, and science. And lots of AP or IB courses

OP here - I understand the need to show rigor, but it's a tradeoff. He can either take Spanish V or he can take AP Chem. Can't fit both in.

If he is going to be a STEM major and this can be explained or it makes sense as far as the rest of his transcript, I think it’s fine. It’s not like he is giving it up for an “easy” elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the whole MS vs HS thing-

Kid #1 starts Spanish 1 in 9th, finishes Spanish 4 in 12th

Kid #2 starts Spanish 3 in 9th (2 years in MS), finishes with Spanish 4 in 10th

They both went through level 4, but kid #2 freed up their schedule for an extra AP class in both 11th and 12th. But kid #1 is more desirable for colleges?

My kid was Kid #2 and got into very selective colleges (T10).

At our school you can take AP Spanish in the 4th year.

[Anonymous]

I took Algebra in 8th grade back in the day. Started foreign language in 7th.

No one ever said it was “high school” then. It was just what the honors kids did in middle school.

Why are we telling kids it’s high school work now?

[Anonymous]

UVa strongly prefers 4 years of a foreign language, even for STEM applicants (including to the E School, not just A&S STEM majors).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the name of the college and “common data set.” Find the most recent version and look at section C5. Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended.

This won’t answer the Q of whether a college cares about your MS classes.

Colleges DON'T care about MS classes.

Obviously, right?

You might think it’s obvious but many colleges require students to report middle school courses taken for high school credit on the SRAR.

“Obviously” a college wouldn’t require you to report a class they don’t care about, right?

Middle school is over.

Move on.

Do you know that some school sysyems include the MS classes on the HS transcript and in the HS GPA for languages and math

+1. This was true at DC's high school. Two years of honors Chinese were included on the HS transcript and factored into HS GPA. Took two more years of Chinese in HS. Got into nearly every college applied to (T30-50).

The key is the selectivity of the school. Colleges in the T1-30 range are going to have higher expectations of the # of years of language taken during high school, excluding those taken during middle school.

Not true. Two of my kids who are at T5 schools had their first two years of language in middle school and their next 2-3 years in high school. All at advanced level, one completed sophomore year, and the other by junior year. Neither took foreign language senior year, but they had demonstrated advanced proficiency prior to then--AP curriculum. The balance of their HS curriculum was highly advanced, so class rigor was not an issue. They had several classmates who chose a similar path and ended up at top colleges.

How recent was this and were they STEM majors?

[Anonymous]

There’s a certain amount of common sense involved, too. If a kid places into French 3 as a freshman and takes French 3, AP French, and French 4 in HS, they aren’t going to get dinged for not having 4 years of French except maybe by the most strict and selective schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UVa strongly prefers 4 years of a foreign language, even for STEM applicants (including to the E School, not just A&S STEM majors).

Yep and my rising first year engineering student ended their fourth year of FL with 10th grade. It.just.depends.