I’m an upcoming senior and I’m really interested in becoming a professor of either French or German, or possibly Spanish (and I definitely want to do this so). What are some schools within 10-12 hours of Ohio (where I live) that are known for having strong language programs?
Middlebury, Vassar, Hamilton, Wesleyan, Kenyon. Middlebury’s national reputation in languages would be the strongest from this group. The others are merely excellent.
Don’t overlook The Ohio State University, at least for French and Spanish.
French courses: https://frit.osu.edu/courses
German courses: https://germanic.osu.edu/courses
Spanish courses: https://sppo.osu.edu/courses
Since German is the least commonly taught of the three in the US, you may want to pay particular attention to a school’s offerings in German if that is a priority.
Attending a school where there are many native or heritage speakers of the language can give you additional opportunities to practice and learn some of the cultural aspects associated with those speakers of the language (although, obviously, Mexico is not Spain, and Quebec and Louisiana are not France, just as the US is not the UK).
There is no better way to learn a language than to live it. Things to check out at any school you are considering:
Most schools offer extensive study abroad options these days, either through their own programs or through exchanges with schools and language programs overseas. It’s a huge industry internationally.
Visit the study abroad offices of whatever colleges you are applying to and find out what programs they have relationships with, what the requirements are to apply, how many who apply are actually accepted, and whether the credits earned overseas are fully transferrable back to the ‘home’ school. Are the limits on amount of study abroad you are allowed to do? On the amount of credits you can transfer?
If you are applying for financial aid, find out how the financial aid works with study abroad - if the school costs more than your school, will you have to pay more? If it costs less than your school, do you get a refund?
Some schools also have ‘language houses’ which generally require you to speak the language when in the house and often host native speakers. That can be a good living experience for language majors who want to keep up their skills.
Lastly, some well-funded schools have grants or scholarships available for students to study or do research abroad. This can cut the cost considerably. Find out if the language depts have this kind of money available to award and what strings are attached (do you have to major or minor in that language, etc…)
Final point: You can always ‘do it yourself.’ D spoke no German, but moved to Berlin, signed up for courses at the Goethe Institute, hired a private tutor and attended the free ‘language exchange cafes’ in her neighborhood. She came home fluent 4 months later - at half the cost of a semester abroad. No credits to transfer, but priceless experience.
If you are female, consider Bryn Mawr as well.
See my post in this old thread on some things to look for in a German dept. Though it refers specifically to German depts., most of the points would also apply to other language depts.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/8321310/#Comment_8321310
There are many schools to recommend with good programs in the languages that interest you, depending on your stats, personal preferences, and affordability. Schools within 10-12 hours of Ohio covers a lot of territory–pretty much anyplace East of the Mississippi. Start with Ohio State.
Middlebury is the benchmark for languages.
OP, which of the three languages you mentioned have you studied?
It’s a bit unusual that your stated interest is to major in either French or German, or possibly, Spanish. Usually, someone who wants to major in a language is more definite about the language in which he/she wants to major, especially if he/she wants to become a professor of that language.
Having said that, there are some people who start a new language in college and major in it, and there are others who simply want to learn several languages (usually for some practical purposes, such as a career in translation or a career in foreign affairs). Some persons who are interested in several languages will major in comparative literature.
U of Chicago is known for Its language programs.
Well, I currently take French in high school and it’s honestly my preference but I’m considering doing a double major once I get to college because I figure that more opportunities might open up for me if I branch out a little. However, I plan on speaking with an advisor at some point before signing up for my 1st semester freshman classes to see if studying two languages concurrently, in consideration of the time and coursework that must go into each as well as the fact that I likely will know nothing about one of them, would be too demanding. (Not that I don’t want to challenge myself, but…)