Even though I’m an American citizen, I’ve attended elementary school and high school in Canada. The course requirements in Canada differ from the US slightly. For example, in Canadian high schools only 1 foreign language credit is required (French), while in the US I hear it’s 2. Many of the schools I’m finding recommend or require 2 foreign language credits and I’m stressing out because I just found out about this and I’m in grade 11. Would it be fine since I didn’t go to an American high school?
I would not expect admission exceptions will be made if a class is required. If it is recommended, you’ll be at a disadvantage if you don’t have it, but how much of a disadvantage will depend on the selectivity of the schools you aspire to attend.
Would it make a difference if I didn’t go to an American high school? The reason why it’s required at those universities is that for the US 2 foreign language credits are mandatory in high school. However, in Canada, it’s simply just a different course requirements to graduate!!!
How high a level of French was the one year in high school you completed? Some students (in the US or Canada) have only one year in high school, but it is at a high level (e.g. level 4 or AP level) because they previously had been taking the language in middle or elementary school.
No, I don’t think it will make a difference. You see, the requirements on the colleges admission sites go above and beyond the graduation requirements of most high schools. It isn’t, “Whatever your HS requires is fine with us.”
You could take an online class, a summer class, a dual enrollment class, or sign up for French 2 next year (any of those will count), or apply to colleges without the requirement. I sympathize with you, though. My DD has to take a summer class in history in order to get three years in. Luckily I started doing research early. Like her, though, you’ve got options.
You are incorrect about graduation requirements in US high schools. Our public HS in NY only requires one credit in foreign language for graduation. However, virtually all of the students continue on with foreign language well past this minimum requirement.
I agree that your application will be at a disadvantage if you are interested in colleges that require/recommend two years of foreign language. You can consider taking French 2 during your senior year of HS, over the summer, or with an accredited online course.
Wouldn’t it seem like a discrepancy if I took a grade 10 course in grade 12? If an online course was an option, how could I include that in my transcript?
No discrepancy.
One problem is you compete with many strong Canadian applicants who did take more. Please be sure your targets only ask for 2 years.
Isn’t there a thing where taking a summer school course looks poorly on you?
Doubtful it would look like a questionable decision considering you won’t even have even two years without it. Some colleges ask for 3 or more. See the advice everyone is giving you. If you don’t want to take it, fine. Then find schools where you can be competitive without it. This is a problem and you either solve it or not. Don’t get distracted.
@Superpatel101 Summer classes because you failed a class and have to make it up look poorly. Summer classes because you want to get ahead in math or take a course you can’t fit in during the year look good.
As an FYI, many colleges have HS curriculum suggestions that exceed US HS graduation requirements.
Some US states have no FL requirement to graduate, some have one year, some allow CS in lieu of foreign language. None of those applicants gets a pass from the admissions office. There are some curriculum “suggestions” that will get waived for international students, but, IMO, this is not one of them.
Keep in mind, though, that some colleges will be more flexible than others. Colleges with higher selectivity will be less forgiving, so part of it really depends upon the colleges you are targeting
@Superpatel101 , can you answer the question in reply #3? Specifically, was the one year of high school French a beginner course for those who had no French language knowledge before, or a more advanced course for those who had French in middle or elementary school?
Even if the one year was advanced, colleges still look for what they ask for. Many kids take on another language, to get the 2-3 years. For very top colleges that ask for more than 2 years, theonly out is extremely high math courses, when they present a schedule conflict.
The OP hasn’t really signaled what schools are being targeted. Unless the OP is targeting highly selective schools, I think many schools will be flexible given that OP went to HS in Canada. For example, ASU requires 2 years of a FL. But ASU also says you can still be admitted with one deficiency in no more than two areas as long as the two areas aren’t math and lab science. https://admission.asu.edu/freshman/competency-requirements#exceptions. And I don’t think summer school reflects poorly on anybody. However summer school can suck up time that you might otherwise spend on something more interesting or challenging. My D19 took 2 years of online Latin in summer school and also did summer school PE. But she’s also not targeting tippy top schools.
Many Canadians take French throughout elementary and middle school, so that when they complete French in Year 10 (typically the last year it’s required, except in Quebec here both French and English are required through 12th) they’ve reached level 3 (low intermediate).
What was the level you reached? Did you take any pets of proficiency test?
Op, you should take the next French subject test; in addition, summer school (in Quebec?) and/or Year 11 French next year. It’s my understanding only 4 if your courses will be ruined, so you’ll have a spot for French.
@ucbalumnus I took an academic level of French in grade 9. It wasn’t AP and I’m not sure what level that is. However, in elementary school, I’ve been taking French since grade 4, if that makes a difference.
In terms of the schools I’m targeting, it’s a very wide range. For schools I have a decent chance to, I would think University of Minnesota or Washington University at St. Louis or Drexel. However, I am applying to all the elite schools, such as Johns Hopkins, Ivies, UChicago, Rice, etc.
The only problem I have with taking an online course in the summer is it’ll take a lot of time away for subject test prep and university applications. I do have a spot for my grade 12 year to take a grade 10 level Spanish or French, but then I’m worried whether or not I’ll complete that before or after I apply to schools. The grade 10 French course would need me to review everything, but the grade 10 Spanish course is introductory.
Also, I heard somewhere that schools take computer science in lieu of foreign language courses. Is this true, because I’ve taken grade 11 and currently am taking grade 12 computer science.
Generally untrue.