Is Three Years of Spanish Enough??

Applying to College
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<p>When I was answering another post on another thread, it got my wheels turning. Do colleges look down upon only having three years of HS Spanish? My daughter, very type A, complete freek out over grades under 95, HATES spanish. She hangs in there, but it literly takes up 30% of her homework time because it is such a road block for her. (And to think her Dad speaks beautiful spanish...lol) This is her schedule so far:</p>

<p>Freshman:</p>

<p>Honors English I, Honors Algebra II, Honors Biology, Honors Geography, Honors Spanish II, Honors Computer Science and Wind Symphony</p>

<p>Sophomore:</p>

<p>Honors English II, Honors Pre-Cal, Honors Chemistry, AP World History, Honors Spanish III, AP Computer Science and Wind Symphony</p>

<p>Junior Year Planned and Currently Scheduled (they did this last month)</p>

<p>AP English III, AP Cal AB, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP US History, AP Music Theory, Wind Symphony</p>

<p>Senior Year Projected:</p>

<p>AP English IV, AP Cal BC, AP Cal Based Physics, AP Economics/AP Government, Dual Credit Anatomy, AP Stats OR AP Environmental Science, Wind Symphony</p>

<p>SHe will not take Spanish her Junior Year and she took HS Spanish-I 8th grade and Spanish II 9th grade, and Spanish III 10th, which meets the graduation requirement in Texas.</p>

<p>She wants to shoot for some top Tier schools and a couple of Ivys but does the lact of Spanish hurt?</p>

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<p>if i’m not mistaken, colleges want three years of foreign language taken in high school…but you might want to check the websites of the schools she is applying to.</p>

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<p>All three years of her Spanish was considered “High School” as she went to the HS for instruction on this, math and english (GT Program) In her school she is just accelerated so it just came earlier, it was not middle school spanish. On her transcripts it shows as HS Spanish 1-Honors, HS Spanish 2-Honors and Currently HS Spanish 3 Honors. I just wondered if she need more than 3 years??</p>

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<p>I do think so…does she have a guidance counselor? I know that here we have the same thing and the GC’s do not permit students to drop Sp IV in junior year…</p>

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<p>Yes, it will hurt at ivies. They will typically see an AP level foreign language. When my DD finished AP Spanish junior year her college counselor insisted on a college level class senior year.</p>

<p>The other thing that jumps out is that she’s advanced in math so in out neck of the woods would skip calc AB, go directly to BC junior year and do linear algebra or MV calc senior year at a college if the high school didn’t offer it or maybe just do AP stats senior year.</p>

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<p>Thanks Hmom…I guess she has to weigh whether or not she will be successful enough in AP Spanish IV or if she wants to take her chances and bow out. She has completed Latin I and the community college and is starting Latin II, I don’t know if that helps. I have not asked the question if she can not take AP Calc AB…in her book it is required prior to Cal BC… I will have to check that.</p>

<p>And I realize that not taking AP spanish will hurt a bit but do you think if will knock her off the block?</p>

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<p>Rodney,</p>

<p>Her GC says that she has met the requirement and has signed off on her schedule for next year. With that said, GC also knows her goals and feels that since it is such a struggle for her it was in her best interest to go with the schedule posted. One of those darn if do and darn if don’t.</p>

<p>CS</p>

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<p>sp IV and AP are two different levels in our schools (not sure about hmom’s in NYC)…</p>

<p>and yes, here too, one needs to take AB prior to BC…yea, I know it’s a repitition and stupid, but this is a school district where you can’t even get to calc if you are not on an advanced math track in 6th grade. </p>

<p>College: does you D have to take pre-calc before calc? just read your post…well if GC wants to take responsibility, will they also take it when she gets her responses senior year? personally, I would call a couple of the schools she is interested in…let us know…very curious about this question given your GC’s response…</p>

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<p>I don’t see how two years of a foreign language isn’t enough. I myself only plan to have two years of Spanish ( currently taking second year). Most universities I know of require/ recommand two. I just don’t have the room to fit it on my schedule next year. During my freshmen and sophmore years, I had engineering as one of my electives ( didn’t really wan’t a engineering class). If I didn’t take engineering freshmen year, I would most likely at least have in mind to have a language 3+ years.</p>

<p>Though having 3+ years of a language may increase your chances getting into ivy leagues, but the absence of 3+ years isn’t a for sure that you wouldn’t be able to get accepted. Since there are tons of other electives/ core classes you may be taking.</p>

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<p>If she really hates it that much than she shouldn’t take it. Three spanish credits is already more than the usual requirement of two and I don’t think foreign languages weigh that heavily in college admissions. Also if she doesn’t have spanish to worry about it will give her more time for her other studies.</p>

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<p>You have to understand that the average ivy applicant just plain has it all academically if their school offered it.</p>

<p>As far as languages are concerned, we have explored this with several top college counselors and the answer here has been consistent. Stick with one language and take it to the highest level, they want to see mastery. This is also very handy for schools with language requirements which can be avoided if you have high language AP or SATII scores. For my DS at Dartmouth, this is enabling him to take an extra term abroad.</p>

<p>Coolbreeze, it’s unlikely any top 30 college will settle for 2 years of a language, 3 is pushing it at anyplace truly competitive. Requirement is one thing, what it really takes to be competitive another.</p>

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<p>At my school, the “recommend” (pretty much require) taking a language throughout high school, so by senior year I will have taken 5 years of Spanish. </p>

<p>It shows you are dedicated and work hard.</p>

<p>2 years won’t cut it for most schools
…definitely not for a top 30 school</p>

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<p>I doubt it will affect her admissions. My school’s valedictorian a few years back did not even take all AP classes offered (did not take AP Calc or AP science her senior year), and still got into Harvard.</p>

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<p>“sp IV and AP are two different levels in our schools”</p>

<p>same at mine
we have I-V…and then AP, but you take AP before V for some weird reason</p>

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<p>“(did not take AP Calc or AP science her senior year), and still got into Harvard.”</p>

<p>WOW! My school also “recommends” you take AP calc in either junior or senior year. They say Calc is very important to colleges (and you have to take it in college anyways)</p>

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<p>3 threes of Spanish should be enough. Not 2.
Get it from Freshman to Junior year.
I am not taking it senior year.
A college wont accept you because you didn’t take spanish but instead you took, say, another AP</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Same here.</p>

<p>Most students either follow the I-II-III-IV-V route, or the I-II-III-AP Lang-IB/AP Lit route. The former is supposedly incredibly easy and the latter is ridiculously difficult.</p>

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<p>“Most students either follow the I-II-III-IV-V route, or the I-II-III-AP Lang-IB/AP Lit route.”</p>

<p>Most at mine either do I-II-III-IV-V route or I-II-III-IV-AP Foreign Lang.
Starting this year though, 7th graders were allowed to start a language so they could do all 6 I-II-III-IV-V-AP Foreign Lang.</p>

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<p>To the OP,
I, like the other people on this thread, suggest taking at least three years of a language. It looks better on your transcript.
However, you don’t necessarily have to. Our school has a I-V system and I went I-IV-V-AP Lit (starting in 8th grade), so I only did 3 years in high school. And I know how your daughter feels; AP Lit takes half of my homework time.</p>

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<p>You might consider the impact of not taking a foreign language for two years before entering college, not just from an admissions standpoint, but with respect to fulfilling a foreign language requirement at a school. Fulfilling FL requirements varies greatly from school to school. Some require a placement test. How would she do after a 2-year layoff? Some allow the use of SAT II scores above a certain level for meeting FL requirements. She might want to sign up to take it this in May or June if she feels she can turn in a performance that doesn’t hurt her application. Some schools look for 4 years with a B or better average. If you D hates Spanish, how will she react if she has to take 2 or more semesters in college, especially if she has to devote so much time to it?</p>