I’m hoping some of you might be able to give me some advice on how to proceed regarding foreign language in high school. I will be applying to some very selective colleges, Ivies incuded, and am wondering if having only 3 years of a language will hurt me.
I am a rising senior, and I have taken German 1, 2, and 3 Honors, and was planning to go all the way up to German 5 AP. However, last year, I moved to another school, where German was no longer being taught due to a lack of interest. Therefore, I was screwed. I have been thinking about taking German 4 and possibly 5 at the local community college, but my schedule during junior year did not allow time for this.
My question is: If my GC explains that German was no longer offered at my new school, will I be OK with just 3 years of a language, or will this be seen as a lack of effort and initiative on my part? If 3 years is not enough, should I take just German 4 at the local community college, or continue with German 5 as well?
<p>I really don't know, because I'm a student myself. I had a couple scares over the past few years: they threatened to take out German 3/4 last year, but stuck us in with the German 1 class at the last minute. It was horrible, just horrible. But at least I had it. Now I'm the only student left going on to German 4, and the class has officially dissolved. But I hounded and begged my counselors every day for weeks until they put me in with the German 2/3 class. It will say German 4 on my transcript, it's with the same teacher and he will prepare me for the AP exam, so I'm okay with that.</p>
<p>Your situation is quite a bit different. You couldn't have done the same thing because there was no German teacher to go to. Finding German at the local college would have been commendable, but it is very difficult. The best you can do is explain the situation, keep up with the language as best you can, have your GC emphasize it as much as possible in their evaluation and describe you as a person who is otherwise the opposite of a slacker.</p>
<p>Maybe you can't take classes, but you can read books and watch movies in the language. A word of warning: I've been doing the latter over the summer to keep up, and German films can be quite disturbing. What has this country got against German?</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, tkm256. I really wish more kids were interested in German; unfortunately, the German classes were already dissolved by the time I got to the new school, but congratulations on managing to find a way to stick with the language at your school.</p>
<p>And as for the films, I do agree, some of them are quite disturbing, lol. BTW, have you seen this show called Run, Lola Run? weird.........</p>
<p>for my knowledge, how would three years of a foreign language hurt you? would it hurt you in terms of admissions because colleges want 4 years and a candidate who has the 4 years would have a advantage over you?</p>
<p>Does middle school count regarding the number of years of foreign language? I've been taking Spanish for 5 years now (including middle school): 7th-Spanish 1, 8th-Spn 2, 9th-Spn 3/4, 10th-Spn 5/6, 11th-AP Spn 7/8. I've gone all the way to AP but it was only 3 years in high school.</p>
<p>No I don't think so...but it depends on what level you're on...I think if you stop at AP level it might be ok, but if your school offers courses above AP, you should take them.
I took spanish for 8 years total... 4 in middle school, 4 in high school. Got up to a level above AP.</p>
<p>Well, my school offers a Spanish 9/10 in preparation for the AP Spanish Lit test, but it is the exact same class as 7/8 with only minor additions such as a few more literary readings. I didn't think it was worth it for something I probably won't continue that intensely in college.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies, everyone. I know that at least three years are recommended, and while I have done 3 years, I just didn't want there to be a big hole in my trascript. I thik if I have the cnace, I will just take one more class at the local cc. I think I can safely assume that they won't hold it against me since this was truly out of my control. </p>
<p>Ich spreche Deustch aber Ich bin nicht so gut. Anyways my recommendation is to take a different language and have your GC explain your situation. To show that you're interested in language and expanding your knowledge in general.</p>
<p>French was not offered at my HS but I was able to do it independent study and have it put on my transcript. I'll prob. graduate with 2.5 or 3 years, but then again I am going into engineering so it is not (as much) as a concern for some of the schools. (some like Tufts will not like it as much)</p>
<p>I'm a h.s. foreign language teacher at a small public school in the South. Most of our brighter students only take two or three levels of foreign language, and they are only semester-long courses (4 x 4 block scheduling). These top students generally have no problems getting into the colleges of their choice if they have filled their schedule otherwise with an impressive load of APs and honors courses. I taught a student this year who did not take any foreign language until senior year, and he got accepted by Duke ED. He will enter with only two courses in foreign language and plans to start meeting his college f.l.
requirements at the lowest level possible. (No one at our school ever applies to HYPS, by the way. That could make some difference.)</p>
<p>Thanks parentofteen; this makes me feel loads better, especially hearing that students could still get into good school without having 4 or more years of language</p>