Wondering if this is true. My son’s guidance counselor was saying that regardless of level achieved, schools increasingly want to see a language taken in senior year. She even told them that some students will skip junior year of a language, in order to take it senior year, This sounds … strange? Thoughts? We are at a competitive suburban public.
Skipping a year of language to take it senior year instead of junior year does not make sense. What colleges does she claim want to see that?
All colleges that say “N years” of foreign language want to see at least level N. Some may want to see N actual years of study in high school (with at least level N reached). If there is any question whether a college is in the latter category, or if it has any other specific wants in this area, ask it directly.
Also, if there are other circumstances that do not fit into the usual framework of foreign language courses at US high schools (e.g. heritage speaker, college foreign language courses, etc.), ask the college directly if you are not sure how they are seen.
I am awfully confused and it only matters because she has made my son believe he should probably continue into Latin 5, which is where he would be senior year. He is only a freshman and in level 2 now and we are starting to talk about continuing, how far and the like. I can’t really see him doing Latin 5. Or skipping a year? Say what? She did say that level is what mattered but they liked so see kids in a language senior year. I guess meaning your last level is in your last year for colleges to see. “Increasingly” is what she said.
So…
Latin 2, 3, 4, nothing – good for colleges that just want to see level 4 (or 3 or 2).
Latin 2, 3, 4, 5 – if he is interested in colleges that want to see four actual years in high school.
Latin 2, 3, nothing, 4 – does not make too much sense compared to either of the above (and risks doing worse in 4 due to the gap).
So taking 2, 3, 4 in 9th, 10th, 11th grade makes the most sense. Then, based on whether any colleges of interest want to see four actual years of high school language, he can decide whether he should take 5 in 12th grade. Note that this may mean asking the colleges of interest directly, because many are not particularly clear about what they accept and prefer.
Note also that completing a higher level in high school may allow fulfilling a college foreign language graduation requirement with fewer courses due to higher placement.
You don’t need to worry about this yet. Foreign language is a valuable intellectual subject and colleges prefer more of it, generally. When the time comes, consider what the alternative to the subject would be.
@roycroftmom there are a few paths on language that can be decided in the next few months for next year. it’s not about a decision for senior year.
If you want to maximize your options, the safest course of action is to take foreign language every year. No college will object, many will like it, a few will demand it.
What are the other paths besides taking Latin 3 next year (10th grade)?
The other path is not ideal because it would mean dropping Latin. I think Latin is an excellent foundational thing to have but he could start Spanish next year and potentially do it over the summer to end up getting to level 4 by the time he is done.
I would not spend a summer doing an academic class unless absolutely necessary. I think there are more productive ways for a young person to spend their summer.
I would stick with Latin.
That sounds rather inconvenient. He would have to value Spanish a lot more than Latin for this to be anywhere close to worthwhile.
Sounds odd to me. My math/science kid wasn’t passionate about foreign language and completed the language pathway as described above by @ucbalumnus. Instead of taking a foreign language during senior year, she doubled up on science. Unless a college of interest specifically requires four years of high school foreign language, completion of Latin 4 should be sufficient.
It seems odd to me as well. Also this was said to a group of kids who are of varying degrees of academic prowess and not all of them need to get to level 4 or even level 3. My son takes everything they say at school as gospel so I’m a little confused.
Many colleges will not care. If you know which colleges are of interest, you can check the common data set to see how many years of language they recommend. If you have no idea what colleges are of interest, then you may wish to err on the side of overinclusion. For example, UVA recommends 5 years of language, so they want AP level. If you might apply there, that is a consideration
UVA must wonder why so many parents from Fairfax County refuse to let the helicopter land, since they recommend 5 years of foreign language and 5 years of math, science and social studies. Last I checked, HS was 4 years.
Anyway, back to the OP. I think something was lost in the translation is the GC is advising students (or are not correcting misinformation) to skip FL in junior year to take as a senior. I am 100% positive that no college official said that this was a good idea.
I assume your son took Latin 1 in 8th grade - does this appear on his transcript? Both of the schools I’ve spoken with that want 4 years of foreign language have confirmed that 8th through 11th, levels 1-4, meet what they are looking for.
I’ve never heard anyone say that what year you take a class makes a difference. Skipping a year and then picking it up again makes no sense to me.
Where does UVA say they recommend 5 years of a language? That would be a first. A Google search turns up nothing but “someone told me they heard…”. The documented requirement I find is 2 years.
This sounds like it falls into the “most kids finish Calc BC as Juniors and have at least 2 AP sciences to get in” drivel that pervades CC sometimes.
It’s on their CDS
https://ira.virginia.edu/cds-2018-19
My son took Latin in grade 7 and 8, which comes out to level 1. So now he’s in level 2. It concerns me that this GC is floating the idea of skipping a year. But in any case, thanks all for the advice. I think he should just continue in Latin.
Where stopping lang is a problem is aiming for tippy tops and dropping after soph year because they don’t like it or don’t “want to” continue or really, really want to take some elective that is not only outside the cores, but often not academic.
The answer depends on the context. WIll he be taking senior year college DE math courses and might have a scheduling conflict? Then, ok, it’s a judgment call and I think we all could agree the math trumps.
But what is the plan that leads to this question?