The foreign language dilemma: need 4 years for Brown, U of Chicago?

[Anonymous]

Do lower ranked colleges (say 50+) care about 4 years of language?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student takes first year of language in MS, does this generally count towards 4 year recommendation? So if they take language their senior year, it would be level 5, but would rather take other classes.

Most say 4 years of language IN HIGH SCHOOL. They don't care about middle school.

Correct. That year of language in MS does not count towards college foreign language recommendations/requirements.

This seems quite silly to me. So a kid taking French 1-4 all in HS is better off than a kid taking French 2-5 for 9th-11th grade leaving languages after 11th?

[Anonymous]

We have the big Princeton Review bible of all the college profiles. We are having loads of fun flipping through it and my Junior is dog-earing pages--neat to see which ones.

I did specifically look at the usual high school requirements they want to see and just about every Ivy, UVA and some other top 20 schools specifically listed '4 years of foreign language'. My son's counselor told him there was no need to take it Senior year and he could fill it with courses that interest him. He is not crazy about foreign language, getting As but by far least favorite subject. I think he's going to suck it up and do it because really--do you want to find out down the road when it's too late you really did need it or question 'hey is this why I got rejected', etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have the big Princeton Review bible of all the college profiles. We are having loads of fun flipping through it and my Junior is dog-earing pages--neat to see which ones.

I did specifically look at the usual high school requirements they want to see and just about every Ivy, UVA and some other top 20 schools specifically listed '4 years of foreign language'. My son's counselor told him there was no need to take it Senior year and he could fill it with courses that interest him. He is not crazy about foreign language, getting As but by far least favorite subject. I think he's going to suck it up and do it because really--do you want to find out down the road when it's too late you really did need it or question 'hey is this why I got rejected', etc.

I want to add '4 years of foreign language' in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have the big Princeton Review bible of all the college profiles. We are having loads of fun flipping through it and my Junior is dog-earing pages--neat to see which ones.

I did specifically look at the usual high school requirements they want to see and just about every Ivy, UVA and some other top 20 schools specifically listed '4 years of foreign language'. My son's counselor told him there was no need to take it Senior year and he could fill it with courses that interest him. He is not crazy about foreign language, getting As but by far least favorite subject. I think he's going to suck it up and do it because really--do you want to find out down the road when it's too late you really did need it or question 'hey is this why I got rejected', etc.

I want to add '4 years of foreign language' in high school.

Our private HS does not carry over credit from public middle school so any foreign language in middle school doesn't count in the total. And, I have been told (not sure if it's accurate) universities are talking about 4 years during Fr-Sr year anyways, not meaning 2 in middle school and 2 in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people on this thread have not said one needs to arbitrarily continue world language to 12th grade- but one does need to pursue it deeply to highest rigor which usually means through AP level If your child achieved that in 10th grade, then they certainly would not need to start a new language in 11th grade.

Our high school requires 3 years of foreign language taken at the high school, but its private so the middle school foreign language from his public school doesn't count.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student takes first year of language in MS, does this generally count towards 4 year recommendation? So if they take language their senior year, it would be level 5, but would rather take other classes.

Most say 4 years of language IN HIGH SCHOOL. They don't care about middle school.

Correct. That year of language in MS does not count towards college foreign language recommendations/requirements.

This seems quite silly to me. So a kid taking French 1-4 all in HS is better off than a kid taking French 2-5 for 9th-11th grade leaving languages after 11th?

My kid isn’t great at languages, but has taken Spanish all through elementary and middle school at private school. Doesn’t love it, but got mostly Bs and a few As. Switched to a new private high school and rather than start at a higher level (was probably ready for honors Spanish 2 per the middle school teacher), began with Spanish 1 honors. Didn’t even take the placement test. Kid is getting a 98%, gets a GPA boost for honors and will reach AP level by 12th grade. One way to game the system a little to have an easier language class and GPA boost. AP level Spanish will likely be very challenging for my kid, so best to delay it and not let it ruin the GPA that will be sent to colleges in fall of senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do lower ranked colleges (say 50+) care about 4 years of language?

DS's school (50+) requires 4 years in HS (does not count MS). If not student must enroll in course(s) and obtain at least a C in each up to a defined 200-level course.