<p>is that bad?</p>
<p>Where do you want to go to college?</p>
<p>harvard, mit, stanfurd..</p>
<p>It's not a big deal at all, really. I took three myself, and I think I was pretty competitive at Harvard and Stanford. I'll be headed to Duke in the fall.</p>
<p>Remember that it's better to focus on your strengths instead of making yourself look like a "jack of all trades."</p>
<p>I don't think it matters too much either. Personally, I only took 3 years of Spanish (2 in high school), and I got into the BME Program at JHU.</p>
<p>I would take the 4th year unless you're replacing it with something impressive.</p>
<p>For the best information, it's always best to go the source if possible, for instance:</p>
<p>From the Harvard website:</p>
<p>Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: Prospective Students</p>
<p>"Many secondary school students take a smattering of several languages for example, Latin for two years, French for a year, and Spanish for a year. When it is too late, they realize that they cannot read or speak any of these languages well. We urge you to try to study at least one foreign language and its literature for four years."</p>
<p>well, technically i hve 4 years because i started in 8th grade, but i never took Ap...</p>
<p>Replace the language with something else you enjoy learning. 4 years is enough for any school if the rest of your application is strong.</p>
<p>That's true. For example, I was talking with an admissions officer after a session (at an Ivy, no less), and they said that if I were replacing my Spanish 5 with AP Physics B, that would be very much ok.</p>
<p>It may also depend on the graduation requirements at your HS -- which colleges would then know about. S is replacing 4th year (in HS) of Spanish w/ a 2nd AP Math course -- which is more in line w/ his interests. He can't take both due to the Philosophy/Religion course requirement at his HS.</p>
<p>I really disagree that 4 years is enough if you haven't done AP. What top colleges mean by 4 years is indeed getting through AP level and also AP lit in your language if you want the strongest application.</p>
<p>And who told you this newyorka??? Unless you're an adcom then please stop giving people info that may not be true.</p>
<p>"well, technically i hve 4 years because i started in 8th grade, but i never took Ap..."</p>
<p>Then that's another question. It depends on what you replace it with (a core type class vs. a lighter elective course) and what the rest of your application looks like.</p>
<p>i got into yale with three years of french. i also took a year of latin but no language my senior year. replaced it with psych, not exactly the hardest subject. just do what you want, challenge yourself, but enjoy yourself too.</p>
<p>"well, technically i hve 4 years because i started in 8th grade, but i never took Ap..."</p>
<p>Then you already have four years; when a college recommends completing 3 or 4 years of a language they mean completing the third or fourth level not that you actually take language for each year in high school. Having AP is not a deciding point.</p>
<p>"well, technically i hve 4 years because i started in 8th grade, but i never took Ap..."
8th Grade Spanish is complete crap. Colleges really would rather you have 4 years of High School spanish. My sister thought she wouldn't take Spanish senior year because she already had "technically" 4 years, but she did and had a huge advantage for admissions. If you want to apply to the Ivies, take Spanish another year, unless you are replacing it with a science. Choosing to take a froo-froo elective will hurt your app.</p>
<p>i'm replacing it with AP Economics lol.</p>
<p>actually, even though it's complete crap, it is still a high school course in my school...and in freshman year u take spanish 2 and then 3 and 4...</p>
<p>or maybe i'm wrong</p>