Foreign Language Requirement Problem at Top Universities

Applying to College
1

<p>Hopefully this is the right/an okay place to post this.</p>

<p>I got my schedule today, and it had one major problem: It didn't have a foreign language. First, some background. I took two years of Spanish in middle school which count as one year in High school, so in 9th grade I took Spanish 2. I am typically an A student, but I had major problems with the teacher and she gave me a C. I decided not to take Spanish, and went to my native language (German) to get some grammatical instruction. I jumped into German 3, but it happened to be the highest level offered so I could not continue. I went back to Spanish 3. So, I planned on Spanish 4 to get the three years of the same language colleges like to see. Well, I didn't have it. My schedule looks like this:</p>

<p>AP Physics C Mech/E&M
Multivariable Calculus (With AP GPA Boost)
AP English Lit
AP Euro
AP Psych
T.A.
Health (Graduation Requirement)
Anatomy and Physiology</p>

<p>The Spanish class I needed is only offered the hour Multivariable Calc is, and both are only offered one hour in the day. My passion is math and science, and I will not give up my Calculus class. The counselors will not let me take a 4th year Foreign Language through a virtual high school, so I went over to my local community college to see dual credit options. The problem is, fall semester starts this tuesday, so I can not take a proficiency test. (If I were to take a proficiency test, even though I have okay spanish grades C B B A, I would in no way be ready for an actual Spanish 4 class, our program is a joke- meaning that realistically there is no way I can get something that is an obvious 'Spanish 4' equivalent). I needed to do something, so I signed up for Spanish 101 (the only one they would let me in without a proficiency test), and then may move me up to 102 after the class starts. </p>

<p>So, it now looks like:
AP Physics C Mech/E&M
Multivariable Calculus (With AP GPA Boost)
AP English Lit
AP Euro
AP Psych
T.A.
Health (Graduation Requirement)
Anatomy and Physiology
Spanish 101 (Fall semester, given a year credit at my school)/Spanish 102 Spring semester (Year credit as well)</p>

<p>My question, how will colleges view this? It is going to be a huge time commitment, Ill be getting home late and I'll have an already busy schedule. Not taking a foreign language is not really an option for me, my parents place a very large value in the importance of learning another language. If it changes anything I should have between a 750 and 800 on the German with Listening SAT II subject test. </p>

<p>I plan on applying to JHU ED, Brown, Northwestern, U Chicago, and schools around this 'tier.'</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Why don’t you just look into taking a foreign language class online but not for credit at your high school, then put that under “additional information”?</p>

<p>As for how they’ll look at it now. I would just assume that the college in question didn’t offer a placement exam…most schools I know of don’t. In any case, you can explain it–or have your counselor explain it–on your application. </p>

<p>I took a ton of foreign language at my community college and learned nothing. It doesn’t matter, because I can’t use Spanish for graduate school anyway…so I’ll just take German or French at a 4-year school.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Level matters, not how many years. So getting up to Spanish 3 validates you for 3 years. I had the same worry, but I got it cleared up with my counselor.</p>

4

<p>Foreign Language requirements are the dumbest things in American hs/college education.</p>

5

<p>they’re in most other high school systems… but they work a bit better.</p>

6

<p>i think you’ll be fine</p>

<p>i’m someone with two years of FL, and it hasn’t been an issue yet</p>

7

<p>Why don’t you send an e-mail with a short, succinct and clear description of your FL coursework to the admissions offices of the schools that interest you and ask them directly if you have met their requirements?</p>

8

<p>If you took Spanish 3, you should be fine. I was in a similar situation–finished Spanish 1, skipped 2, and took 3. So I only had two courses, but got up to third-year level. Stanford didn’t have a problem with that.</p>