To make a long story short, I could not take a foreign language until junior year. My school only offers one language taught by one teacher (up to year 3, no ap). I am deciding my senior year schedule, and would rather double up on math and science as I have this year than take another year. Would this affect my chances significantly at top schools, or would taking classes I plan on pursuing outweigh this. I believe 2 years would not look much better than 1, and 3 has been impossible. I also believe Fl would be the same period as one of the sciences, so I may be able to say it was a scheduling conflict (It was 9th and 10th with honors classes). I was also wondering if I can write about this in the common app, as my GC says she cannot write about the conflicts since there was a different GC my freshman and sophomore year.
If you’re choosing more sciences than required it’s not a scheduling conflict, it’s a choice. If colleges suggest 2-3 years of FL, I’d try to get in 2 or 3 years. Can you take a summer course or dual enroll at a cc?
Since it doesn’t really sound like there was a scheduling conflict jr and sr year, I think it might make a difference at top schools. A scheduling conflict would be if taking the language prevented you from taking a science and math course, not when it prevents you from doubling up on both math and science.
Some colleges have a hard minimum requirement of level 2 in high school, equivalent in college work, or some equivalent proficiency shown. Others may not have hard minimums, but many of the most selective colleges prefer that applicants have a well rounded base high school curriculum that includes at least level 3 (preferably level 4 or higher if available) of high school foreign language or equivalent in college course work.
It’s not a scheduling conflict if it’s of your own choosing. A scheduling conflict is when the one section of Spanish 3 meets the same period as the one section of AP Calc, as an example. It is not a scheduling conflict when the FL meets the same period as the second science.
Can you write about it? Yes. Should you write about it? No; it sounds like you are making an excuse (which you are). That should be addressed by your GC. Since your GC won’t address it (an probably for the reason I gave, not for what s/he told you) let it go. Take the FL course if your college choices suggest it (or take over the summer) or opt don’t take it and roll the dice with admissions.
First, make sure you meet the requirement for HS graduation in your state. Second, You need to have a minimum of 2 year (or reaching level 2) FL to apply to most, if not all, good colleges. So 2 years is definitely better than 1 year. Nevertheless, you have the option to take a summer class to reach the FL requirement.
Thanks everyone, I will ask for year 2 in lieu of an extra science. i won’t be in the country so I won’t be able to take it in the summer. Would I be automatically rejected for places like NYU since they require 3 years? Or is it possible to take it in college if I meet all other requirements and am otherwise strong. I genuinely had a conflict 9th and 10th with a class I needed to take to graduate (9th graders cannot take FL, and in 10th FL was in the same period as geometry, most 10th graders in my school take a 2 year algebra path and only 1 year of FL is required), so I will note that. I will try to ask GC to at least note no 9th graders can take FL because of tight class space.
Instead of noting the conflict yourself, ask your guidance counselor to note it in his/her recommendation (even if you have a new guidance counselor now he/she should be able to confirm the conflict).
If the school requires 3 year FL, they mean it. If they recommend 3 year, t would be a disadvantage id you don’t have that. For top schools, that would basicall kill your chance.
You’ve asked a form of this question many many times. e.g.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1918159-is-it-really-holistic.html#latest
Nobody here is going to tell you that taking one year of a foreign language will be sufficient to get into, as you say, “top schools.” No matter which way you spin the question, the advice won’t change.
Could you borrow the school’s Spanish 1 (or whatever language they teach) text over the summer and maybe do Rosetta Stone or something? Then take Spanish 2 senior year?
Also, you mention that you won’t be in the country over summer. Are you already proficient is a language spoken in that country because of relatives? If so, you can see if there is a SAT Subject test available in that language. A high score on that might help for some colleges.
I am in year one right now, I’ll be in year 2 next year. I am bilingual, thanks I’ll see if my language is offered.
Don’t assume that they’ll be satisfied with an obviously last minute test in your other language.
Adcoms will be looking for your choices, through hs. It’s one thing to not be able to start a lang freshman year, another to deliberately choose to ignore the request for 2-3 years. Be wise. You don’t want them to stop and question your thinking.
Ski explained it well. The kids who sometimes get away with “scheduling conflict” are in much higher math, college level, often have a conflict with DE. And they have two years of FL behind their belts.
I wasn’t trying to ignore the request, I don’t know if I worded it poorly but I never tried to avoid taking FL, I was just considering it now.
9th- could not take
10th- same time as math to graduate and move on to higher level math (Not offered any other periods)
11th- currently taking
12th- will take knowing it has a huge impact
And the geometry conflict was last year, I will be in AP math next year. My school is only made up of ~400 students. There is only one period of many classes, so I can’t just rearrange the time of the classes. Since most of the student here only take one year of FL they have never considered adding another teacher to offer each level multiple periods a day.
You should have think about that in the last few years and you had several summers to make up the deficit. Many school districts and states even have online programs. For HS that do not offer that many courses, students often can take it at a CC for instance during the school year.