<p>Just wondering if anyone knows, how negatively will it impact my chances to only have three years of one language? I took three years of French and I'm starting Spanish next year.
Thanks! :)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t think it’d be a huge negative impact, but it is curious why you’d start at the beginning of Spanish so far into high school.</p>
<p>Are you in fact a senior? I know in my school system we started the I and II levels in middle school, so I was able to reach French VI… If that’s the case, then 3 years and three years won’t look so curious, possibly even laudable. If not and you are a senior, its definitely going to look strange.</p>
<p>One thing I will caution you on: the W&M foreign language requirement can be met as long as you’ve passed levels I-IV of a HS language. So if you are admitted, you may just end up kicking yourself for not having completed that fourth year of French. And there’s no guarantees where the placement test is concerned either, for French (especially if you take a year off!) or Spanish (where you’d only have very basic knowledge, maybe not enough to place in level two).</p>
<p>While you might not be thinking quite that far ahead, the admissions committee does review the application with their General Education Requirements in mind… So being able to cross the language requirement off your list, by sticking with French for another year- not to mention level IV looks a hell of a lot better than two level I’s- probably will go over much better with them.</p>
<p>Have you talked with your guidance counselor about this?</p>
<p>Not taking a particular class will never be the make or break factor in your admission decision. No one factor can have that much weight. However, if French IV is offered at your school we would highly encourage you to take that over Spanish I</p>
<p>W&M does advise 4 years of a single foreign language.This speaks to the rigor of your senior year in HS. You do have the oppurtunity to take Spanish once you get to college. Admissions is holistic and one variation will generally not make or break your application.Your cicumstances come into play also…our S took French(because this 1st HS did not offer German) his 1st 2 years of HS, then we moved to another state where he took German the last 2 years of HS. But if German was offered his entire HS career, he would have taken 4 years of German.Stick with French if you can.</p>