<p>I am a current junior hoping to attend Boston College.</p>
<p>I have 3 years of Spanish under my belt but dropped Spanish 4 this year. I now understand that BC and other schools require 4 years of language. </p>
<p>Can I take Latin in my senior year, or do I need to stay with Spanish?</p>
<p>You will be at a competitive disadvantage at BC and other selective colleges if you don’t reach the fourth- or fifth-year level of proficiency in a foreign language.</p>
<p>You don’t necessarily have to study that language for 4 or 5 years. What matters is your proficiency, not the number of times you parked your behind in a classroom chair.</p>
<p>Being at a competitive disadvantage doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get in. It’s just not as simple as that. You might be able to get in with less than 4 or 5 years of the same language; you might take that much language and still not get in. But it will be a point of comparison where you won’t measure up to a lot of the competition.</p>
<p>I recommend that you resume Spanish. Take a look at the recommendations on foreign-language study and preparation for college on Harvard’s web site. A lot of selective colleges and universities are going to feel the same way.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Preparing for College](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html#language]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/preparing/index.html#language)</p>
<p>My younger son did not take a fourth year of Spanish senior year, but took an extra AP class instead (for a total of 4 APs that year). Language does not come easy to him and he just felt he would be more competitive in the admissions process with a better grade in the other AP, than struggle for a decent grade in Spanish. </p>
<p>He was accepted to most of the schools he applied to, including Boston College. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>BC would like to see a student complete the fourth year of a single language, but it is not a deal breaker. Best of luck!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I agree with what has been said, but just want to comment on this statement. </p>
<p>Don’t listen to what others (even your HS GC) tell you, go to the primary source, the college websites, and read for yourself to see if something is required or recommended. And don’t assume that if one school has a recommendation/requirement, that other schools do do, while there are generalities for selectivity level, there are no absolutes.</p>
<p>For instance, this is what BC says:</p>
<p>[Selecting</a> the Class - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/admission/undergrad/process/selecting.html]Selecting”>http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/admission/undergrad/process/selecting.html)</p>
<p>
</p>