Anonymous
Post 02/26/2026 17:44     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:My kids both stopped language after junior year, when they took French 5. So, 3 yrs in HS but 5 yrs total. Both STEM majors. Didn't get into UVA (but was a reach anyway based on GPA), but did get into W&M, VT, and similarly ranked schools.


+1

Not all schools care
Anonymous
Post 02/26/2026 10:25     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
My kids both stopped language after junior year, when they took French 5. So, 3 yrs in HS but 5 yrs total. Both STEM majors. Didn't get into UVA (but was a reach anyway based on GPA), but did get into W&M, VT, and similarly ranked schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2026 15:29     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:My kid is STEM focused and she's sticking with the 3 years required. For her, it's more important to do more math or science or engineering or computer science. For potential liberal arts majors, four years of language might be more useful.


That was my kid too.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2026 10:59     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:Immersion students can also take AP Bio in Spanish. My kids are considering doing that to get some exposure to Spanish senior year after they have taken both AP Spanish classes.


Really? When did that become an option? I only knew about regular intensified bio in Spanish.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2026 09:24     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Immersion students can also take AP Bio in Spanish. My kids are considering doing that to get some exposure to Spanish senior year after they have taken both AP Spanish classes.
Anonymous
Post 02/24/2026 08:38     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?


My DC, who got into UVA this year, didn't have a language sr. year, but did take their language up to AP level.
I think stopping 11th grade with language, if you're taking an AP is not going to disqualify many folks.

However, wanted to mention that middle school language years don't count as high school language years, even if taken for high school credit. At most, you might want to think of a middle school year as half a high school year. But generally I don't think it's necessary to switch and take a new language, if you max out language in 10th grade. I don't know about immersion, and finishing AP in 9th--I don't know how to think about that.


Immersion kids take both AP Spanish lang & AP Spanish lit. I don’t know anyone who actually took the former in 9th, but even if they did, they would take the second in 10th. Almost everyone in APS immersion takes those classes in 10th & 11th. You could continue with Advanced studies in 12th (I think it’s considered post-AP, but no GPA bump), but I think few do because of trying to fit in other classes they want/need.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 10:20     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?


My DC, who got into UVA this year, didn't have a language sr. year, but did take their language up to AP level.
I think stopping 11th grade with language, if you're taking an AP is not going to disqualify many folks.

However, wanted to mention that middle school language years don't count as high school language years, even if taken for high school credit. At most, you might want to think of a middle school year as half a high school year. But generally I don't think it's necessary to switch and take a new language, if you max out language in 10th grade. I don't know about immersion, and finishing AP in 9th--I don't know how to think about that.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2026 22:20     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
My kid is STEM focused and she's sticking with the 3 years required. For her, it's more important to do more math or science or engineering or computer science. For potential liberal arts majors, four years of language might be more useful.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2026 11:16     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:Yeah I now wish dd hadn’t taken a language starting in 7th. For one the teachers have been awful and I don’t think she’s actually learning the language. For two it would be really nice to be a freshman and have Spanish 1 not Spanish 3…with no real penalty to getting into college.


My kid loves the 7th grade spanish class but insists they learn more on Dulingo. I doubt it but fine, game-a-fy learning.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2026 10:14     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:Yeah I now wish dd hadn’t taken a language starting in 7th. For one the teachers have been awful and I don’t think she’s actually learning the language. For two it would be really nice to be a freshman and have Spanish 1 not Spanish 3…with no real penalty to getting into college.


For some of DD's classmates, they care about maximizing GPA, and there is no quality point for language levels 1-4. Need AP/IB for that.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2026 10:05     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Yeah I now wish dd hadn’t taken a language starting in 7th. For one the teachers have been awful and I don’t think she’s actually learning the language. For two it would be really nice to be a freshman and have Spanish 1 not Spanish 3…with no real penalty to getting into college.
Anonymous
Post 02/22/2026 08:59     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?


Go to a UVa information session and ask there.


DD took French from 7th grade through 11th but not this year, senior year. She was admitted to UVA in January. I thought it was their policy to require 4 years, but clearly DD's application was good enough.
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2026 20:20     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


I have heard that some schools want to see it all four years in high school. I think UVA is very vocal about it. My language- hating kid wanted to drop it. I told them to email admissions at the places they wanted to go and they mostly responded that it’s not necessary to have it all four years. Some explicitly said they only look at STEM classes for engineering admissions.

So I think it depends on the school and intended major. My kid dropped despite me wanting to not close off options.


So if you’ve maxed out/taken all available classes in that language, does UVA want you to start a new language senior year?


No. My kid completed this immersion program, got 5s on both AP Spanish tests, and did not start a new language senior year. They are now at UVA.
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2026 19:54     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


I have heard that some schools want to see it all four years in high school. I think UVA is very vocal about it. My language- hating kid wanted to drop it. I told them to email admissions at the places they wanted to go and they mostly responded that it’s not necessary to have it all four years. Some explicitly said they only look at STEM classes for engineering admissions.

So I think it depends on the school and intended major. My kid dropped despite me wanting to not close off options.

Thanks. My kid is a likely STEM major


I graduated from UVA SEAS. Every other UVA SEAS student I knew had taken 4 years of a modern foreign language. Even the poor kid from SW VA coal county did. Exceptions surely must exist, but the odds of admission to UVA (even for SEAS) surely are better if a student takes 4 yrs of a modern foreign language.
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2026 14:38     Subject: APS-Language years rq’d for colleges
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid is taking Chinese in 7th grade (and 8th) for high school credit, will they need to add a second language or is 2 years in MS and 2 years high school generally ok!


Similar question, at APS, if DC starts foreign language in 7th grade and finishes with AP foreign language in 11th grade, what about 12th grade? How does it work with UVA's requirement of 4 years of foreign language?


Go to a UVa information session and ask there.

Does anyone already know the answer for UVA?