Can I still get into a good college if my first language is not English?

I have enough credits to graduate with advanced regents diploma too

I live in upstate New York but I am in New York City every Saturday for a pre college course

I don’t need a Russian translation for my exams but having extra time and a dictionary would be very helpful and I don’t see any reason why they don’t give this opportunity to all English language learners

Just having extra time would reduce anxiety and stress

Thanks @sybbie719! I’ll put it in my files.

You should still get your transcript translated by a neutral third party so that there are no conflicts of interest. Even though your mom is a professional translator, our school would not have accepted it because your mom did the translating (this could be a problem if ever selected for audit.

Getting an advanced regents diploma is based on exams: English, 3 math regents, social studies, 2 science regents 6 foreign language credits and passing the LOTE.

Are you saying that based on the home language survey you filled out and the test that your school administers that they felt that you did not need ESL?

I don’t think that it says that she translated it on that paper, but it’s not a problem at all for me to get a translation by a third party if they need it.

Based on my schedule I will have enough credits for advanced regents diploma if I pass my regents this and next year, according to my guidance counselor, I already passed biology, earth science, algebra 1, geometry, world history and first level of Spanish proficiency, and I have to take chemistry, English and US history this year and Algebra 2/Trig + second level of Spanish proficiency next year and that should be enough

I have absolutely no idea what “home language survey” is but based on my English test scores they determined that I’m not qualifying for ESL

  • physics regents next year

You cannot get an advanced regents diploma with the state proficiency exams (I am shocked that your school is giving this exam because they are usually given in middle school).

Find out if your school requires three years of foreign language in the same language the sit for the Spanish LOTE (regents). What is non-negotiable is that you must have 3 years of foreign language in addition to passing the LOTE to get an advanced regents diploma (right now it looks as if you are only going to have two years of Spanish).

It is highly recommended that you have 3 years of foreign language. If you are applying to more selective schools many of them recommend three years of foreign language. I definitely recommend that you have the credits that you are entitled to for Russian added to your transcript and you should also request to sit for the LOTE in Russian.

“home language survey”

This is a set of questions that your family should have been asked when you first enrolled. It is used to identify students who need to be screened for ESL services. Chances are that your mom completed this paperwork, and you didn’t even know. Here’s one example for NY: http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2CF11E0F-BDBE-4DCB-9E7B-7452A6AB6CDF/0/HLIS_5_24_07_ENGLISH.pdf

I already took Spanish for 2 years and this is my third year, however I am one level lower in Spanish for my grade so I will finish studying it one year later (in 12th grade), I guess I will have to take regents exam for it but they didn’t tell it to my class yet because we will have to take it next year

And and yes I guess we filled out something like that

Why do I need Russian added to my transcript if this is the country where I was born and lived for 13 years, it is obvious that I speak perfect Russian. Just to make it official?

I looked at some TOEFL sample exams and seems like it’s not that hard and doesn’t require much studying, so it wouldn’t be a problem for me to take it if the college where I plan to apply requires it, but I’ve heard it’s expensive

Seems like the best advice I can give to someone in my situation is to fail the English placement test (which is way too easy compared to what they expect you do understand in high school) and get all this extra time on exams like World and US history to have enough time to write a good essay without rushing and being anxious and stressed about it. Math is relatively easy, I already know some of calculus, but I wouldn’t have time to take it in my school because I’m still in algebra 2/trig just to get a credit for talking this class. I’m extemely bored in all of my science and math classes but struggle with English and social studies classes, because of a very obvious reason but I’m not sure if admission officers would understand.

You can have Russian placed on your transcript so that you can get credit for the language In addition you can take the LOTE in Rissian, which you will probably ace especially if you are trying to get an advanced regents with honors diploma Some SUNY schools may give you credit for the regents/SAT scores and years of foreign language credit

I am really surprised that you were not placed in ESL and given services. Does your school have a a large ESL population or supports for ESL students. I think the challenge is had it been determined that you we’re a Biigua/ESL student they ould have to provide you services ( which could be expensive for a small number of kids).

How did you do in the global regents. are you on track to get an advanced regents with honors or an advanced regents with mastery diploma

Check the requirements as you may have to submit the TOEFL with your other test for admission purposes. Since classes at US universities are conducted in English there is going to be an expectation that you are proficient in reading and writing in English.

Since you’ve already had calculus, see if you can take some CollegeNOW classes in NYC in Calc 1 and Calc 2 etc.
Ask your school to do half day dual enrollment at a local community college, and take classes that match your level/abilities.
It sounds like you’re being given an unrigorous schedule that doesn’t reflect your abilities, and this will hurt youin college admissions. Is there a way for you to test out of classes you took years ago (ie, precalculus)?
If you took Calc1 at a CUNY/SUNY college the HS would have to accept that you’re above precalc, right?
I’m also very surprised that you didn’t get ESL support - can somebody fight/advocate for you? It’s just not right.

@MYOS1634 , Op does not attend high school in NYC so she cannot do College Now. She can find out if there is a similar program if she lives near a SUNY.

We don’t have a LOTE in Russian in my school, our school is very small. There are not a lot of ESL students and all of them are Spanish speaking.

I got 89 on my global regents. I don’t know what is the difference between honors and mastery, I actually don’t know what they are.

I can understand teachers in class, this is not a problem. The problem is that it takes me more time to do assignments, and if I submit them late, they take off points, if I submit an incomplete or bad work I feel uncomfortable, I respect my teachers and want them to see that I care about the assignments.

There is SUNY Ulster community college close to where I live, however no one has informed me that I can take classes there while I’m in high school. In my school there are a lot of people who take BOCES, but it’s not the same thing, is it?