Two years of PE is required for CA high school graduation; taking PE during 9th and 10th grade is standard (unless you take PE over the summer)
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So…you took one English, one history, and then filled the rest of your course of study with math and science courses? (And yes I understand that you took the required PE and arts requirement).
Was foreign language ever presented as a OPTION for you?
As noted…please speak to your counselor MONDAY. Emails to the colleges are not as important. They aren’t going to waive an admissions requirement…but they will clarify what you need. OTOH, your school counselor can get you moving to satisfy the college requirements for foreign language.
You need to do this now…not next week….Monday first off.
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You mentioned CMU is your dream school. Here is their list of requirements for high schoolers.
They require two years of foreign language, and there is nothing mentioned on the linked page about an AP score substituting for that. They do appear to accept the score for credit, but your issue is that you have not taken the classes. Therefore, you have not completed two years of coursework and have no class grades to show for it. You can contact the admissions office to ask about your particular case.
As @thumper1 suggested, you need to speak to your guidance counselor right away. I think it make sense to complete the FL requirements over the summer if you can. If you are a junior now, you may need to take a course this spring.
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Ask your counselor about UC Scout courses, which you can take online for high school credit.
Also, if your parents can afford it, take a look at language bird which offers one-on-one online language classes for high school credit. They are not cheap but they do offer Mandarin and you might be able to place into a higher level Chinese class so you could meet the two-or-more years requirement more easily, because colleges count “years” by highest level completed. So if you could place into Chinese 2, that gives you an extra year of foreign language because taking Chinese 2 counts as Chinese 1 and Chinese 2.
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If Mandarin is the OPs native language no college will be impressed by taking a class in that language.
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I thought they said it was not their native language?
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The OP already got a 5 on the AP exam without taking any classes so I am working under the assumption (although I don’t know for sure) that Chinese is spoken at home.
But regardless while it would meet the technical requirements I don’t think anyone will be impressed by taking intro level classes in a language one already has proven proficiency in. I’d recommend starting a new language.
I hope they clarify, but I’m wondering if Chinese is a second language that is spoken primarily at home.
That’s a good point!
Heritage speakers may not necessarily have native adult level fluency, and their literacy may be behind their fluency compared to those going to school in that language. So they can benefit from taking suitably advanced level courses in that language. If this applies to the OP, that could mean Chinese courses beyond the AP level, since the OP got a 5 on the AP test.
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Agree… assuming the classes are above level 5.
All good points. Hopefully the OP will meet with their guidance counselor ASAP and figure out their best options.
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Since high schools are less likely to offer foreign language beyond AP level (whether it is level 4, 5, or 6 at that high school), the OP may have to check local colleges for Chinese language courses which an AP 5 would place into.
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Agree…as noted a few posts above I think starting a new language would be the best path.
The OP should consider both options:
- Finding a suitably advanced Chinese course (probably at a local college).
- Finding a way to start a new language that allows completing level 2 or the college equivalent before high school graduation. This may require taking the courses at a local college if it is not possible to start level 1 in high school in the summer and then take level 2 senior year in high school.
Since we do not know which are viable options in the OP’s high school and nearby colleges, the OP should not immediately reject either option.
Of course, if the OP is satisfied applying only to UCs and CSUs, the AP 5 will be enough to fulfill the LOTE requirement for frosh admission there.
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