How important is it to take a foreign language in high school?

[Anonymous]

DS is a junior who is taking Honors Spanish 5. He took 2 years in middle school and is in his third year in HS (MCPS). He has As so far. He does not want to take AP Spanish next year
Since he doesn’t know which schools he will be applying to yet (although there are likely to be a few top 20 schools) I am not sure how to guide him. The school counselor does not seem like a good resource so I am hoping DCUM will have good advice. TIA

[Anonymous]

Is he planning on majoring in Spanish? What is his reasoning for not wanting to take AP Spanish next year? Maybe buy him the AP Spanish book so that he can make an educated decision about whether or not to take the class.

[Anonymous]

What would he replace it with?

[Anonymous]

Most colleges expect 3 years. DS is taking 4, not taking any his senior year.

[Anonymous]

We were told minimum 3 years but 4 is better -- and that's including any in middle school. So, both my kids who did 2 yrs in middle school are planning to stop after level 4 in sophomore year. They will replace it with academic electives -- extra science, math, social science.

[Anonymous]

I would see it as not challenging himself, ducking out when the class finally got hard. So it would be a bit of a ding, and what matters is who I’m comparing him to and what the rest of his schedule looked like. If it were replaced with AP Physics, and he was also taking AP Chem, for example, not so much of a ding. But I’m not an admissions officer, just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine a kid who is taking Spanish Honors 5 not being 110% prepared to take AP Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would he replace it with?

He has taken English, math, science, history and Spanish in all 3 years. If he does not take Spanish in his senior year he will likely take two social science classes.
Re another poster’s question, he says he finds it “stressful “ but he is not struggling and has always earned As without much difficulty

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would see it as not challenging himself, ducking out when the class finally got hard. So it would be a bit of a ding, and what matters is who I’m comparing him to and what the rest of his schedule looked like. If it were replaced with AP Physics, and he was also taking AP Chem, for example, not so much of a ding. But I’m not an admissions officer, just my two cents.

OP here. This is my concern

[Anonymous]

I think that if he drops AP Spanish and takes something easier, it will be looked at as if he's not up for a challenge.

I think that if he drops AP Spanish, and challenges himself with something else that is also challenging (e.g. another AP class, or a second science), that would be looked at as fine, especially if the thing he challenges himself with is related to things that have been consistent interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were told minimum 3 years but 4 is better -- and that's including any in middle school. So, both my kids who did 2 yrs in middle school are planning to stop after level 4 in sophomore year. They will replace it with academic electives -- extra science, math, social science.

I have heard that colleges don’t value “high school level “ classes taken in high school as highly as classes taken in high school

[Anonymous]

Es muy importante estudiar español los cuatro años de bachillerato.

[Anonymous]

I would think that Spanish Honors 5 and AP Spanish would be redundant. That's 5 years worth of honors level Spanish. Is there any reason he didn't opt to take AP Spanish this year instead of Honors 5?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that if he drops AP Spanish and takes something easier, it will be looked at as if he's not up for a challenge.

I think that if he drops AP Spanish, and challenges himself with something else that is also challenging (e.g. another AP class, or a second science), that would be looked at as fine, especially if the thing he challenges himself with is related to things that have been consistent interests.

Oh! So if he takes AP Psychology or AP European history they are less likely to question his decision

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think that Spanish Honors 5 and AP Spanish would be redundant. That's 5 years worth of honors level Spanish. Is there any reason he didn't opt to take AP Spanish this year instead of Honors 5?

As far as I know it wasn’t a choice. AP Spanish is offered after a student takes Spanish 5