Foreign Language

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>I've asked this on CC before, but now that I know I'm going to the University of Chicago, I figured I'd ask again for people familiar with the programs.</p>

<p>I'm trying to decide on a language to take. I took four years of Spanish in high school, and it's likely that I'll completely pass out of a foreign language with the placement test. But that would be boring, and I want to learn another language.</p>

<p>I want to study abroad. Since I come from a high school with no AP courses, and the only AP test I took was Literature (which doesn't help much in the core), I probably won't have time for a full year abroad, but who knows. The university says it requires two years of study in the local language for study abroad, but there was a clause in there that basically said they're just kidding.</p>

<p>I'll be an economics major.</p>

<p>My options are French, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese. I'm also vaguely considering German, though it's a distant fourth behind these three choices. Really, any of them are applicable to an economics major.</p>

<p>I like French because I love Europe, and I'd love to live there for a while sometime. I like the whole Paris Center thing. But French is probably losing influence, and I'm not sure how useful it will really be in twenty years.</p>

<p>I like Russian because of the alphabet, the literature, and the history. Russian history has been of interest to me since I was about ten years old, so I go way back with Russian. However, I know that Russia is quite dangerous for foreigners, and foreign students are especially targeted. I'd think seriously about my safety before running off to study in Russia.</p>

<p>I like Chinese because it sounds and looks beautiful. It will probably be useful in twenty years. But it's a difficult language, and I don't really have much desire to live or study in China. Sure, I'll visit once in a while, but China doesn't seem like a good long-term destination for me.</p>

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<p>Sorry about the rambling. Is anyone familiar with the strength of these programs at UChicago? I've been thinking about this for months, and I have yet to arrive at a conclusion. It's sort of beginning to bug me, now that I have less than three months before I register for classes.</p>

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<p>I think you’ve pretty much outlined positives for yourself. German is an popular third language for aspiring academics; I don’t know if that means anything to you. Read the Austrian School in the original?</p>

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<p>The problem is that I’d take almost an equal interest in French, German, Russian, or Chinese. The study of other countries is one of my flaws, since it’s nearly impossible for me to pinpoint a language.</p>

<p>I know it’s a bit hard for anyone to look at this situation and say which language I should learn, but it’s always nice to get someone else’s perspective, and maybe what someone says will influence my choice.</p>