I just started junior year and decided not to take a foreign language class (previously took Spanish) this year. After doing some more research I realized that this might not have been a good idea, considering that a majority of colleges that I’m looking at require at least 3 years of a language. I plan on taking the AP Chinese test (grew up going to Chinese School), but would this be able to replace the last year of foreign language? Also, in my town, the eighth grade Spanish course was equivalent to the high school Spanish 1 course. Could this count as 1 of my years as foreign language?
Colleges usually consider the year you reached in your language, rather than the technical number of years you were studying the language. Since you took Spanish 1 in eighth grade, did you complete Spanish 3 your sophomore year? If so, in most cases, this will be considered “three years” of a foreign language, even though you technically only took 2 years in high school.
They care about the level, not the years. Their requirements are in the same language, so, French 1 and 2 and Spanish 1 and 2 for example would be considered two years of a language. If you’ve taken spanish 3, you have 3 years of language. Taking the AP Chinese exam would count as reaching 4-5 years of Chinese.
Hi 
Thanks for answering! I did take Spanish 3 my sophomore year, so if I understand correctly, colleges will count the Spanish 1 course that I took in eighth grade in the 3 year foreign language requirement that most colleges have?
Thanks for the information I have completed Spanish 3, however I took Spanish 1 in eighth grade. Would this year in eighth grade count when colleges are looking at how many years of foreign language I’ve taken?
you ought to at least take the [ noon listening] Spanish subject test to prove your fluency with Spanish.
If Chinese is your native language, you wont get FL credit for taking the AP Chinese language test.
I’m sure there are always exceptions so it’s best to double check with the specific schools you’re looking at, but yes, at most schools completing Spanish 3 will fulfill the 3 year foreign language requirement, regardless of when you took Spanish 1. I did this exact same thing back when I was in high school (first year of a foreign language in middle school, next two years in high school) and had no issues when applying to college. It was very common where I went to school, so I imagine it’s even more common now.
When or how the language was taken doesn’t matter; you have reached level 3, so you have 3 years of Spanish. Where the gray area is if you place out of levels of foreign language For example, someone might take spanish 3 and 4 but not 1 or 2; generally that is considered 4 years of language but there might be some exceptions.
HS classes taken in middle school that show up on your high school transcript absolutely count. It doesn’t make sense to have a policy otherwise and I have never heard of any exceptions to this. Think of the math sequence- students that have taken algebra 1 and geometry in middle school for high school credit and take Calc BC or multivar their senior year (Depending on if they took Calc Ab) have 6 years of math.
Of course s/he will if the school gives AP credit for Chinese; colleges aren’t going to deny credit for taking an AP in a foreign language, even if it is a native language. Conventional wisdom, however, is that an applicant should not submit an SAT Subject Test in the native language unless it’s over and above the requirement.
For the vast majority of colleges, it is level completed that matters. I do wish colleges would be more explicit about this topic on their websites. Claremont McKenna is one that does spell it out (emphasis mine):
http://www.cmc.edu/admission/apply/secondary-school-preparation
If you still have doubts, ask the colleges in which you are interested.
The usual foreign language questions and answers are here:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1802227-faq-foreign-language.html
My first language was English. My parents immigrated from China and started sending me to Chinese School around kindergarden. Would Chinese still count as a native language then?
No, if you have continued to speak English fluently.
If you remember a time when you did not speak Chinese, then no, it does not count as an native language.