Will only taking 3 years of Spanish (Spanish 1 in 7-8th grade, Spanish 2 in 9th and Spanish 3 in 10th) hurt my chances for top colleges, considering I’m not taking 4 years of Spanish.
If these “top colleges” recommend 4 years, then know that most applicants will have 4+ years. So yes, in that respect, it will hurt.
I believe not all schools count classes taken in middle school. Check with the schools you are interested in.
I’ll be graduating with AP Spanish 6 (6 years of Spanish technically, but I’ve been “taking” Spanish since I was in elementary school).
If you CAN, I think it’ll really be helpful for not just colleges but you. Learning Spanish, as cliche as this may sound, really opens up a lot of doors and if you apply it to your life, can really show a different perspective.