I took English 1 in 8th grade and then English 2, AP Lang, and AP Lit in high school, but I didn’t take an English my junior year because I thought that I would have enough credits. Will I run into any problems with schools that have a 4 year English requirement?
Possibly. Some colleges want an English course every year. And some colleges only count math and foreign language credits from middle school. What colleges are you targeting?
I think that many schools like to see 4 years of the cores (science, math, language arts and social studies). Were you counseled during your scheduling? Can you make a change now (assuming you are a senior) and get into an english class, or at least send the question to your college counselor at school?
I was counseled and I asked the same question to my counselor and she said it would be fine. I am in AP Lit right now; the problem is that I did not take an English my junior year.
Some colleges will not consider any English classes taken prior to 9th grade as fulling their 4 year English requirement. What schools are you targeting and have you looked up their specific English requirements?
I looked each school’s English requirements on Collegeboard and 8 /12 that I’m applying require 4 years of English. However, UC Berkeley is the only college I know of that I’m applying to that explicitly states that they do not accept English classes prior to 9th grade. 
I think I will email each school to see if it is possible that I can still apply there but if you have any advice or suggestions I will take them gladly.
You should check each schools specific website for this information and not rely on College board. If there are any questions, then you should follow up with an email.
I am most familiar with the California UC’s and Cal states. Both the UC’s and Cal states require 4 years of English taken 9-12th grades.
Ways to fulfill the UC/CSU English requirement:
SAT Examination
SAT Writing and Language score of 31 satisfies the first three years of the requirement.
SAT Writing and Language score of 36 satisfies the entire requirement.
ACT with Writing
English Language Arts (ELA) score of 24 satisfies the first three years of the requirement.
ELA score of 30 satisfies the entire requirement.
SAT Subject Examination
Literature: Score of 560 satisfies the first three years of the requirement.
AP or IB Examination
Score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition Exam; score of 5, 6 or 7 on the IB HL English: Literature exam (formerly IB HL English A1)
College courses
For each year required through the 11th grade, a grade of C or better in a course of 3 or more semester (4 or more quarter) units in English composition, literature (American or English) or foreign literature in translation. Courses used to satisfy the fourth year and/or the entire requirement must be transferable. For lower-division transfer, all courses must be transferable. Literature courses must include substantial work in composition.
Is there a fun English course you’d like to take? Journalism, creative writing, a particular author? Is there a class you took that might be considered English (like a history course with a lot of biographies or writing)?
It will never hurt you to take the extra English class, even if it isn’t required. It could hurt not to take the extra class.
I would love to do that except its my senior year and I’m taking AP Lit. The problem is that I didn’t take an English my junior year
Thank you! That is incredibly helpful. I know for a fact that I fulfill those test requirements. Now I just have to figure it out for the other colleges.
The text that @Gumbymom gave in reply #6 for UC comes from https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/freshman-requirements/subject-requirement-a-g.html .
For CSU, see page 12 of https://www2.calstate.edu/attend/student-services/Documents/Admissions-Handbook-2020-21.pdf .
I wouldn’t take a school not stating that only grades 9-12 count as meaning earlier years are fine. When a college refers to high school courses, I suspect 9th-12th grade is a fairly universal/standard assumption.