Help! Ave GPA but 4 years of Japanese...

<p>Buminapark -- I think that if you want to emphasize it, you could still find great ways to do so. The fact that you've had the motivation/dedication to teach it to yourself (and you DO have a lot to show for it...self-teaching to such a level of accomplishment, as shown by your SAT2s and speech award--is really impressive) is NOT a factor to be overlooked, especially considering how young you were when you began. Not only does it show great things about your willingness to learn about another culture, love of learning, etc., but you can also mention how it reflects more general strengths (stick-to-it-iveness, persistence, self-motivation, passion, love of learning, etc.). Furthermore, I don't think your Asian heritage will matter as long as you go over the basis...it's not spoken at home, perhaps you're the only one in your family to study it, whatever. What did make you interested in it? If you've had any experiences with this issue, you could also dispel some myths: have you encountered any confusion/difficulty as a Chinese student of the language? Do people mistakenly think it comes more easily to you, think the two languages are similar, mistake your ethnicity, etc.? If you know it shouldn't matter but think that it might, explain your stance!</p>

<p>Don't underestimate yourself. I tried to teach myself a language and got as far as "Where is the telephone/train/banana/ice cream/beer?" (basically all cognates). Thank goodness for finally making it to a school that offered the language!</p>

<p>Japan Bowl, Japanese National Honor Society, start a some sort of Japanese culture club at your school (anime, cuisine, whatever), spend a summer or year abroad in Japan (TIES for example), AP Japanese next year (self-study in your case?), and if you live in the DC area you can act as either a translator or a tour guide during the cherry blossom festival. Oh, and write a killer essay about it. You've got options.</p>

<p>I've taken the equivalent of six years (school's on a block system) of Japanes under a women who is nationally recognized, and I honestly think it's not as hard as people make it out to be (I'm white, btw, not that it really makes a differenc). Yes, kanji is difficult at times as is keigo, but I don't think it has anymore hang-ups than any other language. I'm not saying it's easy by any means but nor do I think its exceptionally diffuicult/ That said, I do think Japanese ability is impressive to people proimarily because it is so different from English and other Western languages (For example, trying to explain to my mom what keigo is a feat in and of itself). My mom swears Japanese helped me get in the schools I did (admittedly, not top ones, as I was looking for merit money), but I don't know. I ewas very involved in Japanese language things (Japanese club officer/letterman, hosting exchange students [fun but didn't make it onto the app], Japan Bowl, speech contest) and my teacher wrote me a rec, so that may have helped. I'm planning to continue Japanese in college and am hpoing start at the 300 ("advanced") level if all goes well (that's were my high school teacher recommended me based on what I told her about the 202 class I sat in on), and it's definitely been a worth while expereince.</p>

<p>Calmac, Good luck to your D on AP Japanese! My teacher was on the comittee, so we took field tests. Some of it wasn't to bad, other stuff was really, really hard, and my sensei was always pushing for the latter ;).</p>

<p>Thanks Wolfpiper. D just got back from her study trip in Japan. She had fun but is exhuasted. Despite her A in Jap. III, she didn't make it into AP Japanese (which is Japanese 5 in her school). I guess I should find out for her if they offer Japanese as an SAT II Subject Test? Anyway, our college list is about the same as the one I wrote to start this thread. We've added St. Olaf in Minnesota and might try to see Earlham (thanks for that suggestion), but really there aren't a lot of LACs (which aren't too much of a reach) that have Japanese as a major. It was suggested that we point out her interest in majoring in Japanese on her application because that might be something positive. I don't think there's much downside to it. I'll keep everyone posted as we progress.</p>

<p>There is a SAT II Subject test. However, it is totemo kantan. Maybe try and self-study some of the aspects of the AP exam that her 400 class won't cover?</p>

<p>Calmac - </p>

<p>Our son took 5 years of Japanese in high school earning mostly Bs and Cs and had about the same overall GPA as your daughter. He was accepted at UCD, UCI, 6 CSU campuses including Cal Poly SLU, U of Denver, Northeastern, and some LACs on the east coast for this coming fall. I think you will find that the LACs will rely more heavily on diverse academics, extra curriculars and recommendations. Don't sell your daughter short, she will probably get into many more schools than you would anticipate! I think the private schools were particularly interested in his Japanese studies and his home-stay visit in Japan. He mentioned these and several other unusual things in his college essays. (The only schools that our son did not get into were UCB and UCSD.)</p>

<p>BTW, Willamette is a great school - our niece is a sophomore there.</p>

<p>Good luck to your daughter!</p>