<p>I currently have four years worth of high school credits for Foriegn Language as a junior, but I don't have three years worth of the same language. Should I take a language course next year so that I'll end with five years worth of credits, with three years being the same language?</p>
<p>Or does having three years of the same language not matter?</p>
<p>Colleges vary in how many years they recommend you have, but many highly selective colleges like to see 4 yrs of the same language, not a smattering of a couple.</p>
<p>Go to the college websites, most will have a section on HS course preparation on the UG Admissions page. For instance, H:</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Preparing for College](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html)</p>
<p>IMO, at this level of college, having three years of one language is going to be better than two years in two languages.</p>
<p>Highest level completed is typically the most important aspect of your foreign language records in high school.</p>
<p>entomom & ucbalum–am tacking on my own follow-up question. </p>
<p>Our HS considers the three years of middle school FL as the first year of the language, so assuming a student continues the middle school FL, he enrolls in the second year of that language. After taking three years of HS Spanish, my son has completed Spanish 4. In my mind, he has only taken three years of HS Spanish, even though he will have completed Spanish 4. Any guidance on how this will be viewed. </p>
<p>The HS offers Spanish 5 but he has decided to stop after 4 as it is not his favorite subject and there are so many more interesting academic electives open to seniors.</p>
<p>Next question: my younger son would like to study Latin, and since our middle school does not offer Latin, he would begin with Latin 1 in 9th grade. Do colleges view Latin as a FL or as an elective? Should he instead continue his Spanish study or will Latin suffice to satisfy the FL requirement, as long as he studies it for all four years. He is very interested in programming and physics and seems to think it will provide greater benefit. </p>
<p>Thank you for any guidance you can offer.</p>
<p>Latin is considered a foreign language. </p>
<p>It is highly doubtful that Latin would provide a measurable benefit in the study of physics or programming. Your son needs a better reason to “pick” Latin as his foreign language. Otherwise he may be disappointed and regret his decision long before he completes Latin 4</p>
<p>CT1417, this is pretty common, and generally colleges consider the level attained, not the number of years taken in HS.</p>
<p>fogcity–thanks–I will drill down further with him and ask what is behind his thinking. It could be the fact that I have been promoting Latin for years, but he seems intent on ignoring the rest of my course selection advice, so he must have his own reasons.</p>
<p>entomom–thanks! Much relieved on behalf of HS Jr. Of course, this may provide another reason for second son to continue studying Spanish instead of picking up Latin and having to then study it for four years.</p>
<p>Thank you both!</p>
<p>Yes, highest level completed is typically what counts.</p>
<p>Note that many colleges have foreign language graduation requirements that may be higher than admission requirements. Taking additional foreign language in high school may help with the graduation requirements (e.g. by allowing skipping more of the beginner level language courses in college than otherwise).</p>
<p>In some areas, Spanish language skills can be maintained or enhanced in general social situations if there are large numbers of native or heritage speakers around.</p>
<p>What entomom said in post #2.</p>
<p>I interviewed a high school student who really loved Latin, but now regrets it as she considers options for study abroad in college. “Why did I study a dead language?” she was wondering.
Latin is great, but if you are looking for other reasons to consider Spanish…</p>