<p>Okay, so the down low is that I can only take my regular 4 core classes, band, and spanish, (6-period schedule), but I really want to use my elective slot to do another social studies class senior year. If I drop Spanish after three years, what would most places think of this? I'm not planning HYP, but still decent colleges. So, how would that look, a social studies class in place of Spanish?</p>
<p>There was a list (not sure if I can put my fingers on it) of what many schools required wrt SATIIs, years of language, etc. I think you are fine with 3 years. That is a normal # if years of a language. My older s only took 2 years of his language (if I recall correctly) and though I was worried about that decisionm he still went to a top 20 school. You are fine-- enjoy your other class.</p>
<p>I’m interested in opinions, too, since my son had to choose between German 3 & 4 and APUSH. Each is offered only once per year at his school, and in the same time slot. He chose APUSH and will save German 3 & 4 for his senior year (but ultimately had to give up his goal of AP German.)</p>
<p>If you read the websites very, very carefully, you will find that most colleges and universities use the word “recommended” rather than “required” when describing the coursework that applicants are expected to have completed in HS. The admissions officers know full well that many HS students have to make choices between the one section of Language 3 or 4 and the one section of subject X that meet at exactly the same time of day.</p>
<p>You need to complete the number of years of foreign language that your school district requires for graduation. After that, it is all a bonus. Stop worrying about this and take the class that you really want. Chances are you will do much better, and learn a lot more in that class.</p>
<p>If there is any chance that you would like to submit an SAT II score for the language you have been studying so far, take that exam as soon as possible. Don’t wait to take it, because your score is likely to drop now that you are no longer studying that material.</p>
<p>Dude, take another social studies class that you will enjoy. Most colleges require you to take a foreign language anyway. But like happymomof1 said take the SAT II for the Spanish before you lose the material.</p>
<p>There is another reason to take that 4th year. At many colleges you are required to demonstrate a proficiency in a foreign language in order to graduate. Proficiency, of course, doesn’t mean that you can actually speak or understand anything, just that you’ve passed the required level of classes. Where it becomes interesting some colleges let you off the hook if (depends on the school) you’ve taken enough in HS (usually 4 years), pass the AP test, or get a certain SAT II score. So it would be worth looking into whether the colleges you’re considering will waive their language requirement, saving you the trouble and expense of taking a language again in college.</p>
<p>^^^ Good point, mikemac. The flip side of that is that some students (like my s) choose to take a language in college that they were pretty good at, as they are pretty likely to do well in it, and other freshman courses can be challenging. So, it was nice to have an “easy” (so to speak) class, even if one was a bit rusty at first.</p>
<p>Total aside, but I am really liking the link to similar threads/topics that is listed below these posts. Cool addition to cc.</p>
<p>I decided to take an AP science rather than spanish 4 (similar to your scenario, versus someone just dropping language entirely without a scheduling conflict). I was able to get into a few top 20 schools, and I don’t think I was rejected from the others because of my lack of fourth year language.</p>
<p>Now, if you are, say, dropping a fourth year of math to take a social science, that would be considerably more frowned upon.</p>