<p>So I have this newfound interest in French culture and language and would like to become fluent in French in the near future. I am going to be a sophomore in college and taking first semester French and proceed to second semester during my second semester and study third semester abroad in Paris, France.
The thing is, unlike the uc school system, you need third semester proficiency in a foreign language and high school language classes will not fulfill this at my college. I did, however, take Spanish up to the IB level 4 level in high school and retained quite a bit of Spanish although I am not fluent and have no strong interest in it as I do French.
My question is, is it worth it to study a new foreign language in college since I am actually interested in it and start from the beginning or just take Spanish and hopefully place into 2nd/3rd semester Spanish? Will learning a new language destroy my transcript grades?</p>
<p>Why would it? If you want to do it, go for it.</p>
<p>If you aren’t interested in Spanish, don’t take it; take French, since you’re so interested in it. Be aware that it takes more than a few semesters to become fluent, though the semester abroad will do wonders to help you towards that goal. You’ll also have a much easier time of learning another language, due to your experience with Spanish. The more you can talk to others the better, so see if there’s a French club on campus.</p>
<p>Good luck – French is a wonderful language. :)</p>
<p>Haha thanks, I have decided to take French and if I like it I will study abroad in Paris, France and perhaps take fourth semester French. I know it would be difficult to become fluent in French without being immersed in the culture and language so I know studying abroad is a good tool to use to gain mastery of the language, especially if staying with a host family. The French language is just so elegant!</p>
<p>Go for it! If you have any questions or need help with the language at all, feel free to send me a PM. I’m fluent in French.</p>
<p>Same here, you can PM me too. 
I took 14 years of French, so I’m mostly fluent (though not quite since it was only immersion, instead of living in a French-speaking region). I don’t know if I’ll ever feel truly fluent. :p</p>