I’m currently a freshman in college, and I’m trying to decide whether or not I should continue my Spanish studies. I came in with a 5 in AP Spanish, so I was allowed to enroll in an advanced level Spanish class. Because of this, I only need 7 more classes to get a minor and I figured I should just do it because it’ll be helpful. The thing is, I really hate Spanish class for some reason, and the thought of having to endure more Spanish classes pains me. Should I power through and get the minor so that I can be more marketable when I search for jobs, or is it something that isn’t worth the suffering? A side note: I’m considering pre-med, so that might be another reason to drop it, right? Because I wouldn’t want the extra workload to have a negative impact on my science GPA?
I would love any input on this situation! Thanks so much
OP, it’s been a while since you posted your questions, but since you received no replies so far, here’s my thoughts on this…
-If you hate Spanish classes, don’t do a minor in it. Seven Spanish classes is a relatively significant commitment for a questionable result of possibly making you more marketable. Also, the required courses might not be as relevant to the types of language skills that would improve marketability.
-An ability to speak Spanish could be useful in many employment situations, especially if you have some fluency, but there are other ways to maintain and enhance your language skills besides a minor. Can you study abroad in Latin America? Can you selectively take some more practical Spanish courses short of a minor (e.g., commercial Spanish, medical Spanish)? Can you participate in some extracurricular language activities (e.g., Spanish language tables)?
-Spanish could be a very useful language for a physician. You are likely to encounter Spanish-speaking patients in medical school and/or medical practice. Studying or volunteering (for a semester, summer, or year) in a Spanish-speaking country would not necessarily be incompatible with your science studies and could be relevant to future medical studies. There are programs in ecological & environmental biology in Central America (also an area relevant for emerging infectious diseases, public health, etc.) You may or may not take a Spanish course during such studies, but being in a Spanish-speaking environment could enhance your existing language skills.
