<p>I'm a junior, and I have only one foreign language credit. Is this going to way down on my college admissions? I would like to apply to Boston College or possibly an ivy league. I heard that ivy leagues require 4 years of foreign language?!</p>
<p>hi there
you might want to check with the schools. If I remember correctly some very prestigious schools (e.g. MIT) requires(or rather recommends) only two years of foreign language.
I suggest you check out collegeboard for more info.</p>
<p>I don't know about the individual ivies, but the BC website says: "The Undergraduate Admission Office recommends that students pursue four years of coursework in English, social science, mathematics, foreign language, and laboratory science. Coursework completed in 8th grade will not be considered."</p>
<p>So 4 years of a foreign language are not required by BC, just recommended. As a practical matter though, you will be competing with students who do have 3, 4, or more years of foreign language study. That definitely puts you at a disadvantage with only 1 - 2 years of such study. </p>
<p>By the way, BC has a foreign language requirement in its core curriculum, so you would have to take a foreign language while at BC (assuming you will not be able to get AP credit for it while in high school).</p>
<p>both BC and most all of the Ivies really want 4 years of language. If you have a good reason for not taking a language one of your years, they'll overlook it. But it won't weigh down your applications. What the top colleges really hate is when kids take three years of language, and then drop it before their senior year. If you take a language through your senior year, you should be fine. If you're really uneasy about not having 4 years, you could also double enroll in Latin, for example if that's offered at your school. It's an easy class, and it can almost be like a history class too, since so much of the topics covered relate to ancient Rome. You should be fine, though.</p>
<p>Do the schools care as much if you complete a language through the 4th year, even if you only do 3 years in high school? For instance, my D took Spanish 2 Honors in freshman year. Her plan is to go through Spanish 4 (junior year) and then drop Spanish, in which she has no continuing interest, in order to take either elective courses that interest her (like Psychology, Political Science, Contemporary Issues) or a second math course (AP Statistics in addition to AP Calculus). Would that be a problem for many schools?</p>
<p>Foreign language is essential. For almost any college, ESPECIALLY Ivy and BC, you will need at the bare MINIMUM 2 FL's. Don't crap your pants though. You can still take them next semester (if you can switch) or over the summer, or in your senior year. 3 would be a healthy amount, and 4 would make colleges think that you go above and beyond things.</p>
<p>mdoc, I think your daughter will be fine. The schools will see that she did go all the way thru to Spanish 4. For what it's worth, my son did the same thing -- starting with Spanish 2 Honors as a freshman, took AP Spanish Lang as a junior, and took no foreign language in his senior year -- and he got into BC and several other top schools.</p>
<p>So if I do my 2nd year of FL next semester
then do 3rd and 4th year of FL in 1st and 2nd semester in senior year, colleges will see that right? even though I'll be applying during 1st semester??</p>
<p>Even though you are applying in the fall, colleges will see what you plan to take in your spring semester since that info is asked on the application form. </p>
<p>But I don't understand how you are going to fit in an entire year of foreign language into one semester of high school. Are you taking a more intensive class at a nearby college?</p>
<p>From Mdoc above: "Do the schools care as much if you complete a language through the 4th year, even if you only do 3 years in high school?"</p>
<p>When colleges recommend four years of language, they mean completing the fourth level of a language. Your D will be fine.</p>
<p>
[quote]
But I don't understand how you are going to fit in an entire year of foreign language into one semester of high school. Are you taking a more intensive class at a nearby college?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It is very possible to do this in schools that use block scheduling. I COMPLETELY disagree with blocking FL, but concede that it is possble to take 4 credits in 2 years.</p>
<p>I hadn't thought of block scheduling, since none of the high schools around here use that. It seems like that would be a tough way to really learn a foreign language, but then I guess it would almost be like an intensive immersion class. Good luck, nathan!</p>
<p>Few foreign language credits is a bad idea. Check on school policies, as they'll vary, but even schools that say "there is no one correct path" most likely have a de facto 2-3 year, at least, policy. Plenty of students graduate with 4 or 5 credits. Unless you're at an arts school or in a program where you need to focus on other things, there's not much of an excuse for just not taking another language.</p>
<p>And blocking is actually an awesome way to learn a language, for that semester. Of course, when you have it first semester one year and second another, things get a little tricky. But it's a great way to fit in your credits, and you'll probably learn a lot being in a class every day all year.</p>
<p>I think I remember that the Harvard website said it recommended 3. Not required though</p>
<p>H recommends 4 years of a FL:</p>
<p>Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: Prospective Students</p>
<p>^ Hmm must've read it on another school's website.</p>
<p>Thanks entomom for finding that!</p>