<p>On the Common Application, there's a part that ask for my first language and language spoken at home. My first language is cantonese chinese but I've been living in America for years, and can read, write, and speak English. At home, I speak both English and Cantonese. For cantonese, I can speak it pretty well but I can only read and write simple chinese. On some college websites, it said that if your first language or language spoken at home is not English, you would have to take the TOEFL. I'm really confused on how I should fill in the language section. Would this affect me? Also, the language box does not have cantonese chinese.</p>
<p>My common app lists 3 first languages and 2 languages spoken at home. It’s not that big a part of the application; don’t overthink it. Select Chinese.</p>
<p>If you’ve been educated in an American HS, it is unlikely that the college will require TOEFL, even if you speak Chinese at home. If in doubt, check with the colleges in question.</p>
<p>Did you ever go to grade schools in Cantonese? Or you have your whole education in the US?
You may have more than one first language. If you have never taken any ESL class, English is likely not a second language.
My D was born here but can speak Cantonese fluently and can read a few hundreds chinese characters (not writing though). She put English as her first language (read, write, speak) on her application but put “spoken at home” only for Chinese.</p>
<p>I wasn’t born here but I came here during elementary school.</p>
<p>Then English should be your second language even you are very fluent with it. It does not really matter for your college application and most likely you don’t need to take TOEFL.</p>