Importance of Foreign Language SAT IIs for the College

<p>How important is Foreign language in general if I was to apply for the College at UPenn (with the intent of majoring in biochemistry/chemistry/bio not a liberal art/classical study)? Additionally, how important is taking the SAT II for a foreign language? I am a junior right now. Currently, I can take a more impressive science course in lieu of taking a fourth year of latin (I will have taking Latin IV as my last course) for senior year. If foreign language is so important, I may (unfortunately) have to take latin V (which is AP) and take the foreign language SAT II. Right now I have the math and chem SAT II done with 800s, and I was planning on taking bio (either biochem or eco, I'm not sure yet). I am fairly confident I can earn an 800 on the bio SAT II, but I'm not so sure about latin. I'm trying to avoid that, but on the UPenn website, it encourages applicants of the College to take a foreign language SAT II. I find it hard to believe, however, that they would encourage a chemistry major to take a world language SAT II.</p>

<p>Don't bother talking it unless you're going for the Huntsman program.</p>

<p>Colleges don't require the foreign language SAT as not all languages have one, and also it's simply a placement test. If you're going to take a language in college, you can take their own placement tests.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply. However, do you think its a better idea to do what I'm doing (forgoing my last year of foreign language to take a more rigorous course more suited to my major)? Or is it just a better idea to take the fourth year of language (which will also be AP), at the expense of the other class? This is in regards to what looks better to college reviewers.</p>

<p>take the course related to your major. i took one summer course of german, and i got into wharton. the thing is to still have a full schedule. it looks weak if you dropped a language and had nothing substansive to replace it. but if you do have something to replacement, it is fine..</p>

<p>But on the website, CAS says that it "recommends taking SAT II in foreign language." Is there any truth in that. Is it better to take a sat II in language?</p>

<p>They say that, in mind that you will most likely be continuing that language as part of their foreign language credit requirement. They only want the SAT II test for placement. If you don't take it, you'll have a Penn placement test once you're admitted. Obviously there aren't enough SAT II tests for all the languages out there.</p>