I took 2 years of Mandarin in high school and I am a senior now. Sadly, I couldn’t fit a language in my junior year. I only took two years of Mandarin because I wanted to take more rigorous, harder AP classes, but now I am afraid that I will be seriously disadvantaged to Ivy Leagues because I didn’t take 3 years+ of the same language? Should I try to get a third year of Mandarin in now? Most Ivies only recommend 4 years, but will taking 3 years put me in a (I suppose you can say) “safer zone” in terms for college admissions? If this happens, then I will only be able to take 3 AP classes (total 8 AP classes) and only 3 years of language in. By the way, if not for this problem, I was going to try to take 4 AP classes my senior year.
Additionally, is there a possible way to find a way to learn Mandarin through an online course? If I decide to not take a 3rd year of Chinese Mandarin, then I should at least take an online course that certifies that I am proficient in the language.
How can anyone be proficient in a foreign language through an online course? Have you ever lived in China?
3 years of HS Mandarin will not make you proficient. For that matter, 3 years of college Mandarin will not make you proficient.
Correct - you will be at a disadvantage.
Well, 3 years will be better than 2 years, certainly. Colleges will generally give some leeway for students that don’t follow its recommended HS preparation when circumstances are beyond their control. However, not taking a foreign language because you wanted to take other classes for other reasons does not fall into that category. Having 2 or 3 years will not mean an automatic rejection, but you may not be as competitive as other applicants.
Even 4 years of HS Mandarin won’t make me proficient, so what would be the point of taking a third year of HS Mandarin when I could be taking a college prep course that has more relevance to my major? I understand that learning a foreign language is important, but I will have to take it again in college as well.
What I’m trying to do is to weigh the pros and cons of taking a third year of Mandarin or another AP. I have no idea about how important taking this third year would be for me. I already know that since I didn’t take the 4 years recommended by the Ivy Leagues/ selective colleges, I am at a disadvantage already, so should I try for the 4th AP or go for the language instead? I would have definitely taken 4 years of Mandarin if I could, but my schedule just simply couldn’t allow it.
Reaching a higher level of high school foreign language may allow for higher placement in that language in college (even without AP scores, the college will likely have its own placement testing). If you intend to take additional courses in that language in college, getting to a higher level in high school may put you ahead in that respect, so that you can eventually reach a higher level in college (or complete a college foreign language requirement in fewer courses).
A couple of things. First, I know you are asking about the Ivies and this is unsolicited, but there is excellence besides the Ivies. You probably know that, but just throwing that in.
More on topic, everything said above is true, but saying “have you ever lived in China” is not really fair. Technology is an amazing thing, and there are Skype groups you can get in on to improve conversational skills without having to live there. Similarly of course, there are Mandarin web sites with news, etc. and Chinese language TV shows like soaps where one can make sure reading and pure listening skills are worked on. Don’t let negative Nellies get to you. People sometimes throw out obstacles without presenting possible solutions. Always look for the solutions.
2 reasons:
1/ Most top colleges have a foreign language requirement for graduation, so the more classes you take in HS, the fewer you have to take in college.
2/ Most top colleges that have put together a suggested HS curriculum do not really care what you would rather study in HS. Few colleges want/expect HS students to be specialists in HS, or even college for that matter - that’s what grad school is for.
In your case, taking another AP simply because it’s an AP will not help you in the admissions process. Once you’ve hit 6-8 AP’s, any add’l AP (or post-AP) will not add significantly to your application. Now, taking an additional AP in a subject you like, or would like to learn more about, is perfectly fine, but not at the expense of another core class, IMO.
You could see about doing both - taking the AP class and taking a Chinese class via a community college. 2 semesters Chinese at a cc will be the equivalent of 2 years of HS, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone, as it were.
Thank you!
How about taking the foreign language in community college? I have dual enrollment right now, so if I take language, can that help?
Thank you so much for your encouragement! You have no idea how much that meant to me! 
Also, I know that there are more options in terms of colleges that will provide me an excellent education. The class that I really wanted to take that is finally being offered this year was Computer Science; I just didn’t want to miss that chance of being able to take it. I made a mistake for not taking foreign language for at least 3 years in high school, so that’s why I want to find an alternative option to learn Mandarin. While it won’t be the same as taking Mandarin in high school, it could at least show that I wasn’t trying to get out of it or that I had no interest in it.
Which AP CS course? For most high school students, the principles course is more worthwhile than the A course.
Yes, if the local college offers the appropriate level courses, that can be an option. A college foreign language course is likely to move faster than a high school course.
It is the A course.
I understand that a foreign language course would move faster than the high school course, but I believe I can handle it. Thank you!
AP CS A is a programming and data structures course. Some colleges may allow an AP score for subject credit for CS majors, but others may not. It is not likely to give useful subject credit for non-CS majors.
AP CS principles gives are broader overview of CS and is more useful in terms of what you learn for most students, including non-CS majors and those considering majoring in CS but are not sure. It is not likely to give useful subject credit in college.
http://cs10.org/ is the kind of college course that AP CS principles is modeled on.