<p>To be clear, I had been taking Spanish throughout middle school so by freshman and sophomore year I was already at Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 and getting As. But, the teacher I had for sophomore year Spanish was terrible and I actually think I forgot more Spanish than I learned over the course of that year. Long story short I just wasn't interested enough in continuing onto 2 more miserable years with her teaching pre-AP and AP Spanish, and didn't want to start all over with the other option of French which I wasn't interested in at all either. </p>
<p>I know Vassar and pretty much all LACs want to see 4 years of a foreign language, but I've taken all honors and AP science, math, history, and English classes every year, if that helps to balance things out... plus I have solid standardized test scores, extracurriculars, etc., and I'm planning on applying ED... Just wondering if the foreign language thing is going to be a huge mark against me? </p>
<p>I tend to worry a lot, so... thanks for any input. :)</p>
<p>They will notice that you stopped and only have two years. At a competitive college, they can expect students to keep at all sorts of challenges. </p>
<p>There are STEM kids who want to add a highly challenging math-sci class that conflicts with their fourth year of language. That’s a bit different. Many of these kids are motivated to fill the lang requirement through a local college. How your choice affects you will depend on the how strong- and how compelling- the rest of your app is.</p>
<p>Yeah, I know I really ~should~ have continued despite of how miserable I would have been… but, at the same time, I’m glad I didn’t torture myself when I already had so much else on my plate… Oh well, too late now. Hopefully apart from that they can tell I’m a very hardworking and motivated person.</p>
<p>Actually, I got in with just two years of German, but I had a very, very good reason for stopping. I had to choose between a highly selective leadership position and two more years of German, and I picked the leadership position, which I think ultimately helped me to get in. At my high school, the upper levels of German conflict with many other college prep classes, and I think admissions took this into account.</p>
<p>Additionally, I continued independent studies of German and all of that jazz and I have an extensive working knowledge of the language. You definitely have a chance if your other grades are stellar and you have oodles of extracurriculars (I had 12, so…I think that made up a bit for two years of language). I’m going into the class of 2015, which has been even more selective than usual, so don’t fret too, too much about it. Just make sure all other parts of your application are great.</p>
<p>@ averagesnarker, thanks for the input! You definitely had a legitimate reason for stopping, whereas I just did not have the desire to spend another year forgetting even more Spanish. I do have great grades and though I don’t exactly have a dozen extracurriculars because I’m on varsity cross country and that eats up a heck of a lot of my free time, I’m hoping it won’t be my absolute downfall.</p>
<p>@ IvanKaramozov, the thing is I’m not sure if I get high school credit for them unfortunately. I took Spanish 1 and 2 in middle school, then 3 and 4 in high school, and the next two years would have been pre-AP and AP. However, if you take French you just start with French 1 freshman year and go up from there, which is annoying. So, I’m not sure how it actually works with my school, but I hope they can see that I was taking high school level courses in middle school.</p>
<p>I agree tht they will notice, though it may not be a deal breaker. Any chance you can get one more year in? Three years of a language looks good.</p>
<p>@jym626 Unfortunately no, as senior year has already started, and I wouldn’t have room for it in my schedule without changing everything around… it’s just not going to happen. </p>
<p>BUT, I did talk to the college guidance counselor at my high school, and she said that I could request a middle school transcript to prove that I took Spanish 1 and 2, so I’m hoping that that will satisfy the requirements. I mean, I have taken four years of a high school level language class, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t…</p>
I do have great grades and though I don’t exactly have a dozen extracurriculars because I’m on varsity cross country and that eats up a heck of a lot of my free time, I’m hoping it won’t be my absolute downfall.</p>