<p>I am currently a high school student finishing up his junior year in high school. Upon formulating my schedule for the next year, I ran into a little problem. Our school is changing its scheduling system to convert to 7 periods of 1 hour classes, which would only allow me to take 7 classes at any point during the year. There are four classes that I have to take in order to graduate. The other three classes are AP Calculus, French III, and AP Psychology. However, students taking three or more AP classes (I will be in at least 3, them being ) are going to be forced to take a period of Directed Studies, where homework and the like would be done. As I am set on taking AP Cal, I am forced to decide to choose between cutting out French III or AP Psychology.</p>
<p>My question is this: What type of foreign language requirement is required for admission or consideration for Stanford? I am generally weak in French, and although I averaged an A (or A-) in French I, I have struggled a bit this year (B+ range) and am not sure I will succeed come next year. It is my understanding that Stanford requires 3 or more years of a foreign language... On the other hand, I really would like to take Psychology for several reasons, including general interest in the subject and the experience I would gain from it. Would the fact that it is an AP course help me, or am I better off trying French III in my senior year?</p>
<p>I wasn’t aware that Stanford had any specific course requirements for admission. I am not certain about this so maybe someone else knows for sure. There are many Stanford students who are fluent in a foreign language without taking high school classes. </p>
<p>This is what I am certain about. All Stanford students are required to take three quarters of a foreign language at Stanford, but there are many ways to waive the requirement. If you get a 4 or 5 on an AP foreign language exam the requirement is waived. If you get above a certain score on a SAT-II foreign language exam, the requirement is waived. </p>
<p>You can take a diagnostic exam during freshman orientation week and if you pass, you are waived from taking the classes at Stanford. My son passed the diagnostic test so he didn’t have to take any foreign language courses. Spanish was his worst subject in high school so the diagnostic test isn’t that hard to pass. And they allow you to take the diagnostic test multiple times so one can study a language during the summer and then take the test.</p>
<p>I am pretty sure that 4 years of foreign lang is “recommended”, so I think having at least 3 is pretty important… AP Psych is not a highly regarded AP anyway, so in your case French will be a better choice, I think.</p>
<p>What about taking another AP course, such as AP Chemistry, instead of Psych? Thank you for your answers, I’m just trying to make a decision whether or not to take French III…</p>
<p>I took Spanish II at my school freshman year and stopped with foreign language studies after that. I did not enjoy Spanish and decided to replace the course with AP Chemistry and other science courses, which were my passion, in subsequent years. I was accepted.</p>
<p>We spoke to admissions at another school(top 25) about this issue since my daughter has only been able to fit two years of foreign language in due to her fine arts concentration. We were told as long as she meets the district/state requirements for a college bound student, she was fine. Also, it really matters what courses were taken instead, so you should be fine. Many top schools recommend 4 years of foreign language but only require 2 years.</p>
<p>It is true that Stanford does not have too many requirements “written in stone”, but it is generally advisable to follow their “recommendations”.
Also, since admission to Stanford is not something you can count on, you should check what other schools on your list require. If Stanford is a realistic choice for you, I think many of the schools on your list will require 3 years of FL.</p>
<p>Bellatrixie,
I have almost the same situation, and I’m really nervous about being accepted. So if you only take two years of a foreign language but express interest in a topic like science, it is possible to get in?</p>
<p>@zsweger
Of course. The 3+ years of foreign language is a recommendation not a requirement. Considering that Stanford has a 5% acceptance rate anyways I doubt that your lack of a foreign language class will be the make or break in your application.
I’m also in the same situation. Took IB Spanish SL as a junior, got a 5, and stopped taking Spanish. I filled the extra period with AP Calculus BC. Considering that I’m an intended engineering major, I think the calculus is more important than Spanish.</p>
<p>My son stopped taking Spanish after taking Spanish III in sophomore year in HS since his high school had a truly terrible language department. He was admitted to Stanford and is currently a sophomore there. Even as an engineering major he has a language requirement for graduation from Stanford. And since he did not take a lot of language in HS he is not able to pass out of the requirement. He is still trying to figure out what to do about this. They have lots of options at Stanford, and he is considering Swahili or something of the sort. So if you take more language in HS, it is definitely to your benefit in order to test out of the language requirement for graduation from Stanford. But I don’t think four years of language makes much difference for admission. Certainly not in my son’s case.</p>
<p>French III might be necessary. AP Psych won’t benefit you.</p>
<p>When in doubt about high school coursework, always look out for the core subjects. Foreign language is a core subject (yes, it is). Psych is not a core subject.</p>
<p>The prudent thing would be to take French and cut out Psych. That won’t guarantee admission and perhaps admission would be possible the other way. But that would be the prudent thing.</p>
One of the previous posters proves it is most definitely NOT necessary. If it were necessary, it would also be a “requirement” to have three years, rather than a “recommendation.”</p>
<p>
This is pure conjecture on your part. I can think of myriad ways it might benefit the OP, in college admissions and beyond. </p>
<p>
Foreign language is generally regarded as the lowest on the tier of core subjects (Stanford lists it fifth, after all, out of five core subjects on its admissions page, so take that for what it’s worth). History/Social Studies is also regarded as a core subject, and AP Psych fits into this domain. </p>
<p>
Disagree again here. From the Stanford Admissions webpage: </p>
<p>“Our hope is that your curriculum will inspire you to develop your intellectual passions, not suffer from unnecessary stress.”</p>
<p>OP seemed to convey an intellectual interest in psychology (“general interest in the subject”), whereas French seems to cause the OP undue stress (“struggled a bit this year and am not sure I will succeed come next year”). </p>
<p>OP, I was deciding whether to take a fourth year of Spanish, and I chose to instead take another AP Science. I loved the language, but the regimented way we had to learn it in school didn’t sit well with me. If I were a rising senior with only two years of language, as you are, I probably would have made the same decision and not taken the class.</p>