<p>I've only taken one language in high school, Latin, but I've self taught myself four other langaues, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Can I count these languages as extracurriculars since I learned them outside of the classroom? I spent alot of time on each language, about six months of really intensive study per language where I'd watch films, listen to radio, and read the literautre of whatever language I was studying. I took the AP Spanish Language and AP French Language Exams, got 5 on the Spanish and a 5 on the French. I also have a certificate verifying my knowledge of Portuguese from my local community college and I'm going to take the AP Italian Language and Culture Exam this Spring. So can I count my knowledge of these languages as extracurriculars?</p>
<p>Definately!!!!!</p>
<p>Of course. You might mention it in the EC part, and then explain it in an essay or in the additional info. The focus of my application was language, and though I didn't put my extracurricular study of language in the EC section, I explained it in the additional info and made passing mention of it in my essays. My regional admissions officers had said that my passion for languages is "unique," "wonderful," and "inspiring." So I'd say definitely emphasize it in your application if you're truly passionate about it.</p>
<p>I don't think you can write it under extracurricular activities....</p>
<p>You'll mention your AP exams taken (and your scores), right? Can't you mention there that it was self-study (or, if there's no space to write it in, admissions committees will get the hint when they see that you're not a recent French immigrant, you've not taken an Italian course, etc.). That's really cool, though. I took six years of French and only managed a 4. :p</p>
<p>Sorry, not really answering your question,but how much of the languages did you learn in 6 months? (Just curious- I'd love to study others, too!)</p>
<p>To Butternut I'm an American of mixed Mexican and Brazilian descent and I grew up with Spanish and Portuguese being spoken in my house a lot, Spanish was the native tongue of my mom and Portuguese was the native tongue of my dad and in fact I didn't even learn English until I was four when in kindergarten, so I'd like to say that I've achieved native fluency in Spanish and Portuguese. As for the others, I'm fairly fluent in Latin, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to pass the AP Latin Exam with a 4 or 5, I'm quite fluent in French, I have a sort of weird love for French music especially Edith Piaf, and I learned Italian from my priest whose from from Ethiopia, but whose parents were Italian, and I'm really comfortable in that language too. Sorry I kind of beat around the bush, I learned to speak Italian in 6 months and French in like 6 and a half. I also highly reccomend anyone searching for an easy foreign language to choose Italian, the spelling and grammar rules are EXTREMELY easy and consistent.</p>
<p>It is definitely something of interest, and you are doing it outside of the regular school curriculum, therefore it is an extra-curricular activity. And very interesting. Colleges certainly want people with an interest in different cultures and languages, and someone such as yourself would be more likely to study abroad and work with communities that speak languages other than English.</p>
<p>Make sure you highlight it :)</p>
<p>ECs don't have to be organizations. They can be activities that you do on your own. Of course, the activities should be "meaningful"--so don't put down video games and such unless you somehow do something with it, like competing nationally or designing your own. Studying languages in itself is an academic endeavor; it's enriching and shows initiative, motivation, and an appreciation for other cultures. You can't show all of the languages you've self-studied in the AP section, since there is no AP Portuguese and no longer AP Italian.</p>
<p>I really would recommend that you expand on this in your essays, if not in the additional info. You could also mention it in the activities section if you have the room. Here's one idea: put it in the activities section (with honors, grade levels, etc.), then write an essay about it; if you have similar language-related endeavors that don't fit into either, put those in the additional info. That way, you have continuity throughout your application, a passion, even a focus if you choose to take that road. Each section complements the others.</p>
<p>oh that makes sense as to how efficient you are in those languages, all of them are ROMANCE lol. no wonder you are so good at them. you are practically relearning the same language in a different tone. i still envy your language skills though. i only know korean and english and german learned in school.</p>
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oh that makes sense as to how efficient you are in those languages, all of them are ROMANCE lol. no wonder you are so good at them. you are practically relearning the same language in a different tone.
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<p>While they're all Romance languages--meaning they will be similar, given that they're descendants of Latin--they are all very, very different. Different grammar, different spelling, different pronunciation, different words, different idioms, etc. Here's a nice chart that shows graphically how different they are:</p>
<p>^ yes but its still easy to learn the romance languages if you know one. perfect example is my friend who is mexican. he was raised speaking spanish and had NO problems learning french in school where even the most studious and hardest working experienced difficulty. he says he can pretty much also understand portuguese. right now he is learning italian and he told me italian is coming easily to him because its similar to spanish. i am not saying romance languages are the same, what i am saying is that they are all SIMILAR.</p>
<p>Yes! What you've done also is an excellent example of pursuing an intellectual passion!</p>
<p>It sounds like you're really adept at learning languages. My kids have participated in the new North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad last year, and you may find that an excellent (free!) way to further distinguish your language abilities. The preliminary exam can be done online, in February 2009, I believe. Great fun!</p>
<p>NACLO</a> 2008</p>
<p>Also, you might like the book my dd recommends, Parker's The Language Instinct, which is a fascinating read. Good luck!</p>
<p>Here is a great article to read on linguistics, on p. 28 of the Imagine Magazine (this link is a digital version of it). Enjoy!</p>
<p>I know a young woman who had almost no ECs because she graduated a year early from high school (summer community college classes) and spent a year as a high school exchange student in Ecuador. </p>
<p>She wrote about her passion for languages in her essay -- and got into Berkeley, out of state. So yes, ECs are all about interests and accomplishments -- and languages demonstrate both.</p>
<p>"and spent a year as a high school exchange student in Ecuador."</p>
<p>Colleges would consider that the same way they'd consider an extraordinary EC. Being a foreign exchange student takes more maturity, independence, intellectual passion and leadership than do virtually any ECs.</p>
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^ yes but its still easy to learn the romance languages if you know one. perfect example is my friend who is mexican. he was raised speaking spanish and had NO problems learning french in school where even the most studious and hardest working experienced difficulty. he says he can pretty much also understand portuguese. right now he is learning italian and he told me italian is coming easily to him because its similar to spanish. i am not saying romance languages are the same, what i am saying is that they are all SIMILAR.
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<p>I know you were. I was just saying that you were overstating the similarities in your statement that he's learning the same language over and over again in different 'tones.' (Your friend was a native speaker of the language, so second-language acquisition of similar languages may have been easier. In addition, this is one person's experience; not everyone will find learning multiple Romance languages easy, as language learning varies greatly from person to person.)</p>
<p>To the OP:</p>
<p>Anne/PA makes some great suggestions.</p>
<p>I participated in NACLO senior year (and started a NACLO team at my high school, preparing for the competition). It was a lot of fun and I did well. More than anything, the problems are really fun to solve if languages and logic are your thing. :)</p>
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Also, you might like the book my dd recommends, Parker's The Language Instinct, which is a fascinating read. Good luck!
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<p>I'd really recommend The Unfolding of Language by Guy Deutscher over Pinker's books (though that could be just because I'm not particularly fond of Pinker's ideas/books :p); it's a very interesting book and really pays homage to 'man's greatest invention.'</p>
<p>This may sound trivial but do you think it hurts me when it comes to admissions that I come from a catholic high school? My school is fairly liberal and is very multicultural but I've heard rumors that coming from a religious high school can hurt you. By the way these questions concern Stanford's admissions office.</p>
<p>No, top colleges want students from all kinds of high schools, so being from a Catholic h.s. won't hurt you.</p>
<p>yes they count as extracurricular activities if you want, they can be anything...I remember reading somewhere, maybe the applicant itself perhaps, that it doesn't always have to be sports/clubs, but a hobby or a thing you do leisurely.</p>