Am I wasting my time with French?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Hello! </p>

<p>I think I need some friendly guidance. I've decided to study abroad in France next year along with picking up French as a second major, and though I'm only a freshman and can still change my mind, I'm worried that I'm making a mistake. </p>

<p>I know that there aren't many careers in French except maybe teaching and translating, but I've honestly fallen in love with it, and I'm trying so hard to make it work.</p>

<p>I'm only in basic Fench, but I wish to study abroad in my 2nd year next year. I've been studying independently and working with my professor, and though she thinks I'm at a high enough level to survive in an immersion program next year, I'm not as confident... I know that I can work hard to get to that level, but I have to get to it by next year. (I need to prepare for the LSAT and law school during my 3rd and 4th years, so the only time to study abroad is next year.) </p>

<p>My mom thinks this is a horrible idea, especially since we don't have a lot of money and my scholarship transfers will only cover half of the costs. But I'm willing to save up and apply to scholarships, and i just feel that this would be great for me. I've never really been away from my mom, (moved out of my dorm to make more money next semester) and I think that going to a different country is brutal but also the only real way for me to learn how to take care of myself.</p>

<p>I think I'm torn between what I want, what I think I want, what I need, and what I can emotionally/academically handle. Can anyone help me figure out how I should try to sort this out? </p>

<p>Thanks you so much in advance.</p>

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<p>It’s great that you want to study French! Even if you don’t get a “French” job, French is a scholarship language, which means if you ever do research in the humanities level, you’ll probably have to learn French anyways. But maybe you should hold off on the studying abroad thing unless you have the right finances. Perhaps in your junior year should go–that’s when most people study abroad anyway.</p>

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<p>That is just not even remotely true… useful in some situations, but no one “has to” learn French to do research or graduate level humanities work.</p>

<p>I agree that junior year is a much better year to go abroad. Almost everyone waits until that year. If your mom isn’t too happy and you can do this, maybe only go for one semester instead of the whole year. Your financial aid will go with you at most schools, but there are usually some extra expenses, depending on how your school handes it (eg, airfare, any travel you want to do on your own while over there, etc.). You do not need two years to study for the LSAT. Just keep your grades up, and one year is plenty.</p>

<p>What is your second major? French really isn’t a very practical major, and it would be better to pair it with something more practical (Econ, some kind of business major, math/stats, etc.). You may be able to combine French skills and business skills into some kind of job with an international company. Also, really give the law school plan some thought. Employment statistics and salaries for new law schools grads are simply awful now, and as far as I know do not seem to be recovering quickly.</p>

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<p>I’m sorry intparent, but you must be either completely ignorant or willfully dishonest when it comes to language requirements at grad schools these days. French is almost always either a requirement or an option to fulfill a foreign language requirement</p>

<p>Want to get a PhD in Philosophy? Learn French-<a href=“http://philosophy.sas.upenn.edu/graduate/requirements”>http://philosophy.sas.upenn.edu/graduate/requirements&lt;/a&gt;, //philosophy.uchicago.edu/graduate/foreignlanguage.html:</p>

<p>Want to get a PhD in Theology? Learn French-<a href=“Interested in a NT PhD? - Crux Sola: Formed by Scripture to Live like Christ”>A Bible Scholar’s Guide to Preaching: Exegetical Resources | Nijay Gupta, [SBTS</a> The Southern Seminary PhD Research Languages](<a href=“http://www.sbts.edu/phd/frequently-asked-questions/research-languages/]SBTS”>http://www.sbts.edu/phd/frequently-asked-questions/research-languages/)</p>

<p>Want to get a PhD in History? Learn French-<a href=“http://www.fuller.edu/academics/school-of-theology/cats/phd-academics.aspx”>http://www.fuller.edu/academics/school-of-theology/cats/phd-academics.aspx&lt;/a&gt;, [The</a> Graduate Program - Guidelines | Department of History | University of Pennsylvania](<a href=“http://www.history.upenn.edu/grad/guidelines.shtml#language]The”>http://www.history.upenn.edu/grad/guidelines.shtml#language)</p>

<p>Want to get a PhD in Classics? Learn French-<a href=“http://www.classics.upenn.edu/programs/graduate/classical-studies”>http://www.classics.upenn.edu/programs/graduate/classical-studies&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;