I’m a junior in high school and I was wondering if it would be a good idea to take AP Spanish next year? It would be my 5th year of Spanish. Is there any point in taking it?
It’ll increase your curriculum rigor evaluation and it may waive the college graduation requirement in foreign language at most universities (except colleges like Yale or Tufts). If you do well (B or higher) I don’t see a downside.
UMich LSA has FL requirement for graduation. Having AP Spanish would at least help your placement. In addition, you can get credits from both the AP and placement exam. My D in CoE received a total of 8 credits from them. LSA has a slightly different AP credit policy though.
https://lsa.umich.edu/rll/undergraduates/language-placement.html describes Michigan’s policies for advanced placement in foreign languages, including Spanish. Taking a higher level in high school may allow you to get higher placement in college Spanish courses.
Michigan LS&A requires foreign language proficiency equivalent to its fourth term course (looks like each beginner/intermediate level course is 4 credits):
https://lsa.umich.edu/lsa/academics/lsa-requirements/language-requirement.html
I’d take it. If you end up in LS&A (lots of students aspiring for Ross end up as Econ majors) or at some other college, it could help you avoid college foreign language altogether. College language is usually harder. Good to have it out of the way.
@intparent I don’t think one can avoid the FL altogether by the AP and placement credits in LSA. It does help to fulfill the requirement faster though.
I’d a lot rather have taken 1 semester than 2 in LS&A.
Sure. The best is to get the AP and placement credits as LSA electives but in CoE that has no FL requirement.
Nakster48. I think you have to evaluate how good you are at Spanish and what kind of senior year you want to have. My son had 3 years of Mandarin and really wanted to take AP microeconomics and it was at the same time as 4th year Mandarin. He doesn’t need a language at Michigan. With 4 years under your belt you should do fine on the AP exam. Take it this year would be my suggestion.
If you do not keep up with your Spanish and end up at Michigan LSA, you probably won’t do well enough on the placement exam to place out of the language requirement. OTOH, you’ll do well enough to be placed in a high level. It’s a Catch-22 because you’ll be placed high (good, because you’ll finish the requirement faster), but it will be very difficult (having been out of the groove os Spanish for awhile).