<p>The selective colleges want applicants to take as rigorous a courseload as possible. They aren’t necessarily penalizing the kid who causally takes 2 yrs foreign language but the fact is that kid is being held up against 11 other kids who took 4 years of language. If there are two slots and all else pretty much matches, who is at the disadvantage? Of course the 2 year kid. Because you’d be penalizing the other 11 right?</p>
<p>It’s “recommended” like getting top grades and decent SAT/ACTs are “recommended.” Is it an absolute requirement? No but there better be a compelling reason. Look at the crushing number of great kids turned away.</p>