For some context I am a senior who started going to school in CA in my junior year. I was not assigned any foreign languages ever since I moved to America from the Philippines. Now that I’m trying to apply to CSUs I found out that I need foreign language. I feel betrayed lowkey bc my counselor never said anything about foreign language during my junior year and there’s literally no time left. And I asked her and some teachers if there’s anything I can do at this point and even they said they aren’t sure. Counselor even said I might be able to apply but she’s not even sure since I’ll have to put the years of foreign language that I don’t have in my application. Just wondering if there’s a work around this situation.
Alternate ways to satisfy foreign language:
If you don’t have a high school or college course that fulfills an A-G subject requirement, you can use your AP or IB test as a substitute if the scores are sufficient. Sufficient AP or IB scores are 3, 4, or 5.
If you take a one-year, LOTE college-level course that qualifies for two years of LOTE credit, add the one-year LOTE course again and select CR or P (for Pass) for the grade and enter “0.00” for the credits. The two-year requirement is then completed.
WAIVER OF “LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH” REQUIREMENT
If you can demonstrate competency in a language other than English that is equivalent to or higher than that expected of students who have completed two years of language other than English study, you may be allowed a waiver for this language requirement. For further information, contact the CSU campuses to which you are applying.
Since you are a Senior unfortunately it looks like you might have to take possible gap year if you are unable to fulfill the requirement or if a waiver is not granted.
You took no languages in the Philippines either?
Do you speak another heritage language…or only English?
I grew up in a Catholic school that spoke English so my native tongue is okay at best. I know a bit of Tagalog, I can understand what people are talking about and I can write basic paragraphs but I can’t speak it conversationally. (I used to but moving to America made it rusty) I know more cebuano because I’m from the Philippines. I can converse in it a little bit. I also asked my English teachers if there’s a test I can prove in Tagalog but even they weren’t sure. T^T
Ah I see. What happens if I just turn in an application without the foreign language? I just feel really bad because nobody told me about it (I didn’t research either). But I’m just wondering if my extra credits and courses I took at a local community college would help me out?? I also took IB classes
Correction: I know cebuano bc I’m from cebu
I am pretty sure that the CSU application will be flagged about missing the FL requirement before you submit and you would have to override the exception (if possible). I would contact a couple of the Cal states to ask about a waiver if applicable or other alternatives. Since you came here from the Philippines, ask about any exceptions and get the information in writing from the CSU.
Which campuses are you targeting?
What is your local CSU? https://www.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/documents/csulocaladmission-serviceareas.pdf
Foreign Language is a requirement so unless you can fulfill it by one of the alternate methods, your application will be rejected/withdrawn.
Another alternative is to attend a community college for 2 years and then transfer. All California CC’s have articulation agreements with the CSU’s and UC’s so there is a proven pathway for admission.
Many successful students have utilized the transfer pathway by choice.
1 Like
Also it’s not really common to take foreign language in the Philippines. I don’t know anyone from my friends to family to their friends and family.
My local CSU is SJSU. But I am also applying to Cal Poly and San Marcos. I’m aiming for art and design majors for all of them.
I am wondering whether your native language or some other language spoken in the Philippines is sufficient, even if you do not speak it all that well. “Okay at best” is likely to be, well, okay.
As one rather old example. I was originally from Montreal, but attended university in the US. The only “foreign” language that I ever spoke reasonably well was French. However, French is quite obviously not foreign at all for someone from Montreal. US universities did not seem to mind. French was foreign for them and therefore counted.
I do not know whether you could similarly get by with a language that is foreign to the American universities, but not actually foreign to you.
1 Like
I would contact these CSU’s and find out if your native/ heritage language is sufficient, how to prove it or get a waiver or exemption. There are 3 Cal Polys: San Luis Obispo, Pomona and Humboldt. SLO is highly impacted and so is Pomona so they will not be as forgiving on the exclusion of the FL requirement. Humboldt is not impacted so they might be more understanding along with San Marcos.
All you can do is try but time is running out since applications are due soon.
1 Like
Not to be a “Debby downer” but another poster did not take 1 year of a Visual/Performing arts course which is also a CSU requirement.
Here is their response on an inquiry about what can be done to fulfill the requirement by time of graduation:
I’ve tried emailing CSU admissions offices, but they’ve been unsympathetic to my situation thus far and seem to be very strict about this. They’ve mainly just restated their official position that all requirements must be met prior to graduation, and that I’m out of luck unless I go to a community college to attain the necessary credits.
@Aya_MakiMaki I will just chime in to emphasize that this can be a great alternative if you do not meet the requirements for CSUs / UCs. My sister would not have qualified for admission (a long story…) so she started at her local community college. She ended up graduating at the top of her class from UC Berkeley.
4 Likes
Many Community Colleges offer sessions shorter than a full semester. It is possible if you look around the bay area you can find a community college that will over Spanish 1 and 2 in two short sessions in spring of 2023.
1 Like
“Also it’s not really common to take foreign language in the Philippines. I don’t know anyone from my friends to family to their friends and family.”
Have these friends and family applied to the California public universities?
If so, ask them how they got in?
From the California state university website:
WAIVER OF “LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH” REQUIREMENT
If you can demonstrate competency in a language other than English that is equivalent to or higher than that expected of students who have completed two years of language other than English study, you may be allowed a waiver for this language requirement. For further information, contact the CSU campuses to which you are applying.
Here’s my concern about what you’ve posted.
I know that in junior year, the high schools, in California, try to provide information sessions for their students and their parents.
One of the things that the high schools emphasize, in junior year, is to make sure that those A-G requirements are met.
I know that our high school counselors, at several high schools where I worked, would repeatedly say, “make sure you know the A-G requirements and that you have completed them”. The Rationale was that the A through G requirements would usually get them through, not just California public universities, but also through private and out of state university requirements.
Also if you plan to be a college student you need to read through the diploma requirements for a university when you get to that University. No one is going to hold your hand; counselors are human and they make mistakes so it’s on you to know what those requirements are for graduation and a diploma.
Also, do you meet the requirements for graduation from your high school? That would be my worry at this point, because the California public schools are pretty strict in making sure that you have taken another language before you receive a high school diploma. If they are using your heritage language for graduation then that would be your high school’s way of completing your diploma. It’s very, very different for college admission.
Because you have attended high school in California, for less than three years, my suggestion would be for you to go to a California community college and take foreign language courses along with the courses required to transfer to a California public university. There are no guarantees that the public colleges, at this point, are going to accept you. You may be lacking in other requirements.
Don’t hang this on the counselor. That’s a cop out. At our high school we had 3000 students with eight counselors with a responsibility for 375 students each. Not all of those students planned to go into higher education, but our counselors were swamped and did have a support staff to help. It was never enough but that’s why they held parent and student info sessions constantly.
If you plan to be a university level student, you need to start thinking that you are ultimately responsible for any requirements that are posted all over their websites. They are very clear in their instructions for the most part.
If you have questions, call the University directly; that’s what they’re there for. They have students handling the phones and if you’re not comfortable with a college student answering your question, then ask to speak to a staff member. Be proactive.
The colleges like students who are going to advocate for themselves. We still have phones with audio capabilities so use your handheld to communicate with them.