Foreign Language: years vs. levels in high school

Applying to College
1

<p>My son will be a junior in a few weeks and has taken Spanish 3 honors freshmen year and AP Spanish Language sophomore year. Got a 4 on AP test, 680 Subject test. (3 years of middle school Spanish.)</p>

<p>How do you count the number of years he's taken so far? Do competitive colleges consider this as 2 years of high school foreign language, even though he has reached AP level? Or, is this really completing level 4? He wants to take a photography elective to meet his 1-yr creative arts graduation requirement, plus photography is a passion of his. Other classes this year include AP chem, AP American lit, AP comp sci, biology, us history, analytic pre-calc). He is currently registered to take Spanish 5 because he doesn't want to take AP Spanish Literature. This would give him 3 years of high school foreign language, though stepping down from what he just finished. He is thinking about computer science/engineering for college.</p>

<p>I've read the thread that colleges like to see foreign language depth into junior or senior year. But, does going back one level sensible, recommended?</p>

<p>Take Spanish 5, or drop and add photography, or replace with other elective?</p>

2

<p>He has completed level 4, since it looks like the AP course is level 4 at the high school.</p>

3

<p>dropping down a level looks bad to colleges.
either don’t take spanish next year or take AP lit. thsoe are your best options.
selective colleges consider the transcript, not just the number of each class. so either way it’ll be fine</p>

4

<p>The number of years requirement or recommendation stated by colleges to qualify for admission refers to level completed not actual years taken in high school. He has met any 4 year or less language requirement or recommendation and needs no further foreign language credits.</p>

5

<p>Ucbalumnus,
Level 4 = 4 years of Spanish?</p>

6

<p>You should check the foreign language requirements for graduation of each college on his list. For some colleges, if a student scores a 5 on an AP Spanish exam in high school, they are exempt from all foreign language requirements at a college. Whereas scoring a 4 will require 1 full year of college level Spanish. Your son might want to take Spanish 5 and retake the AP exam at the end of the year trying for a 5.</p>