<p>I have a problem with my HS language credits. I<code>m currently an international junior now and I</code>m doing the IB diploma.
Anyways, by the end of this year, I will have completed 3 years of Japanese (I<code>m Japanese btw...but the classes I</code>ve taken are basically like your AP Eng Lit classes, excpet in Japanese).
Due to a number of reasons, it turns out that I CAN NOT take Japanese next year (long story..)
I<code>ve heard that ivy-league and other schools of that caliber expect students to have completed 4 years of a language, so I</code>m really worried that my 3 years will be a problem when applying next year.
The thing is, I am doing the Bilingual diploma for IB (English and Japanese) and so my counselor told me that as long as you are fluent in an foreign language, then it would be okay.
Any opinions on this?</p>
<p>Yeah I've had this problem, sort of...I did some extra things and was too advanced for some classes, so I finished the highest level of my school's Spanish program during my sophomore year (AP). There was no way to fit a first-year language into my schedule junior year, so I took German on Saturdays for the first half of the year (basically nothing, really). My parents made me quit halfway through because I applied to an exchange program and I needed extra time to visit colleges. So, now I'm basically fluent in Spanish (definitely will be fluent in another month or so...) but I've technically only taken a language for three of my four years since last year's German didn't really count. </p>
<p>When I visited Vassar this summer, I asked an admissions officer there and she basically told me that it was not a problem, but that I should explain the situation in my application. She said the same for any other course that you don't have four years of - if you have a good reason, <em>explain.</em></p>
<p>Fluent in Japanese? You'll be fine. ;)</p>
<p>Frankly, I think it would look better to colleges if you took a language other than the one you were fluent in. If you're in the IB program, most colleges already know you can handle intense study. What they <em>don't</em> know is how versatile your mind is. Showing that you can adapt to a new language is one way to prove this (and one reason colleges like it so much).</p>
<p>I guess what I'm trying to say is: all your other difficult classes will show them you are capable of rigorous work, but language classes are a great opportunity to show them something that's not so readily evident. I'd take advantage of that opportunity.</p>
<p>Hey on the topic of languages....</p>
<p>As I just mentioned, I'm an exchange student. I've been here for a month and I speak and understand Spanish pretty darn well, but I wouldn't call myself fluent. Most exchange students say that it takes about three-four months to <em>really</em> be fluent, so I <em>should</em> be around the time that my ED application is due or a little after and definitely by the time I hear back......but I'm not yet. The application asks for my primary language and whether I'm fluent in any additional languages...should I say yes or no?? I don't want to get into trouble for dishonesty or anything, but I don't want to leave it blank, either. Sorry if this is a dumb question.</p>
<p>Ok thanks a bunch guys for your replies! it really helped me out alot</p>
<p>Anybody have an opinion about my question??</p>