<p>I am hoping that those with experience can answer this question and I am using Spanish as the example but it can be applied other languages.</p>
<p>One year or two half courses of foreign language are required for graduation at Harvard. Testing out could have been achieved with the right SAT II or AP scores. In my daughter's case, the SAT II option was not a possibility since she thought of it after the March test date, was on a school trip with the band for the May date and the June date was graduation weekend. Her AP score did not test her out and I doubt her Harvard placement test will have placed her out.</p>
<p>So now here is the question, D will have technically taken Spanish I - IV plus AP Spanish. Despite these years of classes and all A's, D's skills in Spanish are not what you would expect (not going to bore you with details). When she looks at the course catalog, it makes sense that she is beyond Spanish Aa but, beyond that, she is not sure. The course catalog states that "more than 3 years high school spanish" requires her to start with Spanish C Intermediate. If her placement test comes back showing what her skills are really better suited for Spanish Ab, what will happen? Will the placement score be the deciding factor or will her "number of years" decide? The answer to this will probably determine whether she continues with Spanish or starts fresh with another language.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I would just take the placement test, because in truth that’s all they’ll have to go on. They don’t have a copy of your transcript.</p>
<p>Thanks. Interesting point about the lack of transcript but I am sure that a certain degree of honesty is expected and admitting to the prior spanish studies. D did take the placement test and felt better about it than she expected but she also got back her AP score and it was a low as expected. An issue will be that her written spanish skills are stronger than her listening and speaking. The AP includes the last two skills while the placement test does not. I wish the feedback from the placement tests came to students sooner so that as my D is debating her options she is doing so from an informed position.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t understand all the worry about this (Is your daughter fretting about this?). Many kids choose to take a foreign language course at Harvard, even though their testing would let them opt out. And many also take an easier class than the placement test would indicate- or harder. It is up to the student. The placement test is just a helpful thing to offer guidance on that choice.</p>
<p>My daughter went to a terrible high school and the French there was subpar. She really enjoyed her French classes at Harvard, and even termed them “fun.” The class had a lot of conversation. The teacher was a grad student from France. Most of her friends took the same class (maybe not the same section) and everyone seemed to enjoy them.</p>
<p>Relax, this is not an issue!</p>
<p>She does not have to worry too much about her class choices right now,does she? Harvard has a shopping period in which students can go and sample classes (different levels of Spanish, for instance) and choose. </p>
<p>Hope your daughter enjoysher summer and, in the fall, enjoys choosing her classes, and, even more, hope she enjoys taking them.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies and yes this is my daughter’s concern. This is because she had already concluded how she was going to fulfill Harvard’s language requirement (language is not a strength or love for her) and was going to continue with Spanish. Then recently she sees the Spanish course descriptions one of which stated:
This made it sound like her starting level will not be her decision and, given that she is concerned about her skill level, she has begun to think that continuing with spanish would be dangerous. If she does have a say about her comfort level and the level in which she begins, I think she will stick with her original plan of studying Spanish.</p>
<p>Basically, the concerns arose upon her reading the course catalog. If she had not read the above statement, there would not be any concerns.</p>
<p>Well all I know is that I sat in on a Spanish Aa class for a day and there were plenty of kids who had taken Spanish for 3-4 years. I took French for three years in HS and took French Aa, it was still challenging. I have no doubt that many of my classmates had taken French before. And besides, almost everyone who studies a language in school can read and write much better then they speak or listen.</p>
<p>From what both you, white_rabbit, and compmom have said, it sounds like my daughter, with her advisor, will be be able to determine what my daughter should do. </p>
<p>This is what I love about CC, having the ability to reach out to members and learn what really goes on.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>