<p>I'm not sure if this is the best section to ask this question in, but anyway:</p>
<p>I'm a rising high school junior, and I've taken two years of a foreign language (Spanish) - Spanish 3H freshman year and Spanish 4AP sophomore year. I took the Spanish AP test sophomore year, and got a 5. I want to switch languages to Latin, or maybe even take a different class completely unrelated to foreign language. The problem is, it seems like some colleges recommend or require at least 3 years of ONE foreign language. </p>
<p>Would it be okay if I take Latin as opposed to Spanish next year? Or if I take a different class that isn't a foreign language? The highest level Spanish class at my school is Spanish 5AP, so I wouldn't be able to take 4 years of Spanish no matter what. I feel like my 5 on the Spanish AP test shows I'm proficient, but I'm a bit worried because if I switch to Latin, I won't meet the three year requirement of ONE foreign language that some colleges have. (Also, is this really a strict requirement? Would a college that says it's a requirement really reject me outright just because I don't have 3 years of a single foreign language?)</p>
<p>I don’t understand. Did you walk from nothing into a Spanish 3 honors class? Or did you have spanish in middle school? or are you a native spanish speaker?</p>
<p>Don’t worry about it. Since you took some of the more advanced courses and scored a 5 on the AP exam, you don’t have much to gain by taking another year of spanish (and colleges will probably see this). So go ahead and expand your horizons, it will be best.</p>
<p>Colleges that require or recommend 3 or 4 years of language mean completing the 3d or 4th level of a language not that you in fact must have language every year in high school. You are fine.</p>
<p>@sylvan8798 - Nope, I’m not a native speaker. I actually took some Spanish classes at the local community college, so that’s how I was able to take Spanish 3H directly at my high school. Also, in my school district, we start Spanish in sixth grade (although we don’t really learn as much until high school).</p>
<p>Stepping on my FL podium again…
Some schools, mainly upper tier private and public, consider foreign language to be a core class and don’t want to see it dropped your Sr year unless you are replacing it with an equally ‘heavy hitter’. You are correct, they are going to want the 3/2 split if you change languages and have one year in middle school. Think of it as having your Jr or Sr year without a math, science, English, or social studies/history. If you are going to drop one you need to replace it with a darn good class. AP Comp Sci, probably okay, Yearbook or study hall, perhaps not a strong choice. I am not saying there is anything wrong with Yearbook or study hall. Taking those in lieu of one of the 5 core classes is when you have to explain.</p>
<p>@blueiguana - I am planning to replace Spanish with either Latin or an AP class such as U.S. Government and Politics. And I WISH my school had AP Comp Sci, I would totally take it >.<</p>
<p>And, er, what exactly is a “3/2 split”? (Do you mean 3 years of one language and 2 of another? If so, does middle school actually count? Because I thought it didn’t)</p>
<p>Yes, a 3/2 split simply means you took threes years one, and two years of a second language. What they don’t want to see is a year here, a year there, no depth of understanding that comes in the higher years.</p>
<p>As a rising Jr. would you take Latin both Jr & Sr year? That could be very strong. Latin will also help you with your vocabulary on the SAT…some will disagree. That’s fine and their opinion. My experience is it has been helpful understanding the latin root of a word, to figure out a word you may not have known.</p>
<p>If you take AP Gov’t (also a strong choice) what social studies/history will you be taking your Sr. year? I ask only because that is usually taken in the Sr. year here.</p>
<p>Your grades for classes taken in middle school may not ‘count’ on your transcript, although I would double check. Schools vary widely on this. Some show it as passed, but no GPA considered, some it doesn’t show at all, but if you enter hs into Spanish 2 and/or Geometry then there’s a good chance you took hs classes in middle school. Check with your GC to see how it is reported.</p>
<p>I hope this was helpful. You are very wise to be looking at this NOW, and now be worried putting in college apps when you find out your dream school really did want 5years of a language and you only took 3 (or any other scenario).</p>