I’m a junior and half Japanese but I’m not fluent at all. I’ve been learning Japanese by myself for a few months now and I plan to continue my studies throughout my last two years of high school and in college.
Because I’m learning Japanese on my own, do you think colleges will think I’m lying just because I have no real proof? (I want to put this on my college application). And for some reason, in my school profile, it says that my home language is Japanese which is not the case. I only speak English to my parents. Also, one of my teachers assumes that I’m fluent just because we had a very pre-school Japanese conversation on the first day we met since she noticed my last name.
Do you think colleges will go the extra mile and confirm with my school and teachers that I’m not lying? Am I overthinking this? Thanks!
You can presumably prove some level of Japanese language knowledge to colleges with the SAT subject or AP test in the Japanese language, if that is what you want to show. There is also the JLPT, though it may not be as well known to colleges.
But you may want to tell your high school to put in your records that your home language is English, not Japanese.
Studying the language at home (unless it is through a recognized distance education program that would give you college or high school credits) is a hobby, and could make for a nice essay. It isn’t part of your academic record, so many colleges won’t even notice that you have done this unless you send an SAT II, AP, or other exam score.
Do make certain that your high school lists your home language as English so that you aren’t asked to take the TOEFL. Yes, that does happen sometimes even when the student has been fully educated in English. Some colleges are just weird that way.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that. I’d better inform my counselor, thanks!
@ucbalumnus@happymomof1 -Do you guys think I should take the JLPT and Japanese SAT II even though I might get low scores? Do you think colleges would appreciate it nonetheless?
Since you are studying independently, the JLPT and SAT II would give you an evaluation of your language skills and help you assess your progress. Neither of them would be strictly necessary for a college application, but would be useful if you are specifically planning to major in Japanese language or Japan studies or the like. If you won’t be a major, but want to continue the language study at the college level, the JLPT or SAT II scores could be useful for placing you into the best class level once you get there.
I would not take any standardized test unless you feel you can score reasonably well on it and that is unlikely after a few months of self-study. It is perfectly fine to include learning Japanese as a hobby – it is unlikely that it will be challenged but if you are actually doing so it won’t be an issue.