<p>Hi, I'm a sophomore and just selecting my classes for next year. My schedule's looking like:</p>
<p>-Eng 3AP
-Calc B/C AP
-APUSH
-Chem 1-H
-Speech and Debate
-French 3-H (or Phys 1-H if I take french over the summer)</p>
<p>I have a question about the necesity of taking 3-4 years of French if I want to get into a highly competitive college (on the right track thus far, have all A's and 2 AP classes this year). The French at my school is super easy, but it's super boring, and I'd much prefer to take other, more challenging classes. The consesus here seems to be that you need 3-4 years of a language to be competitive, but I'm not sure about whether that's because they want you to challenge yourself or because they think the subjects themselves are essential. For example, I'd like to take AP Environmental Science/AP Art History/ AP Physics/ another challenging class that I'm actually interested in instead of AP French my senior year, but I won't if it'll hurt my college chances. It doesn't seem like it should to me, but I do not run the universe, so...</p>
<p>I have a similar question about math. I'm going to do Calc B/C next year as a junior, and while there will <em>probably</em> bea Calc 3 class offered while I'm a senior, I don't think I'll want to take it. I'd prefer to take other challenging science/humanities courses. But do I still need 4 years of math to get into top colleges even if I reach the math class normally taken by seniors as a junior.</p>
<p>I may be able to help…I took 3 years (instead of 4) of both French and Math myself, and so far I’ve gotten into NYU (won’t know about anywhere else till April 1st). I applied undecided, just so you know.
Things you need to consider: Your test scores (SAT, ACT, etc) need to be very high so colleges know 3 years was enough to adequately prepare you. Definitely replace any class you drop with an AP class, or something of equal caliber. Bonus points if it relates to the major you apply for. Try to take the Calc AP/SAT II tests. If French is easy and boring at your school then you probably don’t want to chance the French AP/SAT II tests, but if you look at the books and you know it all then go for it.
Things you DEFINITELY NEED TO CONSIDER: If you want to be an engineering major at a top school, you MUST take the 4th year of math. If you want to be a science-related major at a top school, you SHOULD take the 4th year of math. If you hate math and don’t want a major that has anything to do with it, or you’re applying undecided, you COULD take the 4th year of math. And, of course, if you know which colleges you want to go to specifically, check their websites for requirements and email the admissions officers if you can’t find them. I hope I’ve helped!</p>
<p>Keep a foreign language for four years and math. Calc 3 is way easier than BC (almost everyone will tell you this), so as long as you do well in BC, then math senior year will not be too bad. Almost all top colleges want four years of both. Unless you are doing research work instead of a language or something like that, then I believe that not taking four years of both will be very detrimental to your application because many of the kids who will be applying to these top schools WILL have taken four years of everything.</p>
<p>The math I think you can get away with taking three years of, because you’re taking a senior class as a junior. Thats what I did and no colleges had a problem with it because I had taken through calc.</p>
<p>HOWEVER. Take four years of french. I only took three and I have to take language in college now and it kind of sucks.</p>