Learning a foreign language gives you a lot of insight into the structure of English as well.

Anonymous wrote:Speaking a second language is extremely important for reasons going well beyond college admissions. You are doing your child a major disservice.

I was a double language major and I strongly disagree. The vast majority of people never use the language they study in HS and don’t acquire fluency through 4-5 years of HS level language classes anyway. I really never use the languages that I spent a combined 17 years learning. I read books in one of them to try to maintain it but the truth is that everything is available in English anyway. When I travel, most people would prefer to practice their English. I think languages are great for people that want to study them but it’s dumb to push all kids into this when they will promptly forget all of it and then just use it to be a PITA to some wait staff in Cancun.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for asking, OP. Hope others will respond to your question. I have a kid who is taking a less common lang, and, even though 4 years are listed in offerings, there won't be a 4th year offered for her class. Hoping that won't be a dealbreaker for top schools.

Taking a less common language is a hook.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking a second language is extremely important for reasons going well beyond college admissions. You are doing your child a major disservice.

Laughs in English, the international language of my industry.

Laughs in AI, destroying your industry.

Mine could only take two credits because of block scheduling and wanting to be in band. Didn't matter for Wake, W&M, UNC, Elon. But it will also depend on other rigor, scores and such.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid took French I in 8th grade, II and III as a freshman and sophomore, and now her high school doesn’t have/cant find anyone to teach French IV this year, so I really hope she’s not penalized.

Mine had a similar situation last year and got into an Ivy early. Had 3 years of Foreign Lang in HS to level 3, and school didn't offer 4.

This is a different situation if the school doesn’t offer the next level course. A student is never penalized for courses not taken due to unavailability.

PP said her HS didn't have someone to teach the course. Hard to offer if no teacher! So that would be a similar situation.

Anonymous wrote:I know a girl who took two years of FL got into Harvard this year. My DC got in a SLAC with two years of FL. Both passed the AP language test.

Native speaker, or took Spanish in middle school, or got through AP level in 2 years?

Anonymous wrote:Speaking a second language is extremely important for reasons going well beyond college admissions. You are doing your child a major disservice.

Fake-learning a second language in an artificial, ineffective classroom environment is a major disservice.

Mine took only two credits because of block scheduling and wanting to take band. Didn't matter for Wake, W&M, Chapel Hill, Elon.
But it will also depend on the rest of the rigor, test scores and such.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid took French I in 8th grade, II and III as a freshman and sophomore, and now her high school doesn’t have/cant find anyone to teach French IV this year, so I really hope she’s not penalized.

Mine had a similar situation last year and got into an Ivy early. Had 3 years of Foreign Lang in HS to level 3, and school didn't offer 4.

This is a different situation if the school doesn’t offer the next level course. A student is never penalized for courses not taken due to unavailability.

Anonymous wrote:My kid took French I in 8th grade, II and III as a freshman and sophomore, and now her high school doesn’t have/cant find anyone to teach French IV this year, so I really hope she’s not penalized.

Mine had a similar situation last year and got into an Ivy early. Had 3 years of Foreign Lang in HS to level 3, and school didn't offer 4.

Anonymous wrote:My DS stopped after Chinese 4 due to not enjoying the teacher and did not take AP. No one asked why he stopped. He had plenty of hard classes in other subjects. We did not consider it an issue.

DC (FCPS) did this after Chinese 3 after sophomore year, switched into German for junior and senior years.

DC got into UVA EA and is starting as a first year this week.

So DC didn't have the 4 years of FL finishing in AP, but still got into UVA.

My kid took French I in 8th grade, II and III as a freshman and sophomore, and now her high school doesn’t have/cant find anyone to teach French IV this year, so I really hope she’s not penalized.

Its a dumb requirement that should be dropped.