I know these kind of threads are common, but I’ve failed to find one answering my exact question. I’ve been to two different high schools. The language (Arabic) I took at my old school is not offered at my new one, so I was unable to continue it. My junior year is almost over and I have not taken a language class this year. Considering most schools I’m looking into recommend at least three years of foreign language, I’m thinking about taking Latin 1 over the summer and Latin 2 next year, since it’s what I’m most interested in. However, since my school does not offer honors versions of introductory language courses, my weighted GPA and therefore rank would go down. Basically my question is, is it worth it to pick up a new language while risking lower class rank? Thanks!
Nor do most schools, so you’d be on an even playing field, at least with the other students at your school.
If you’re interested in studying Latin, take Latin. I would not worry about the infinitesimal hit to your GPA, unless you are borderline to fall outside of the top percentage needed for autoadmit to certain schools (if those schools interest you).
As to whether you should take Latin for admissions purposes, that really depends upon the level of Arabic you achieved.
@skieurope I took Arabic 1 and 2, but I’m mostly fluent in Arabic since I grew up bilingually. Would you still recommend taking Latin for admission purposes? I might just self teach my self Latin online so it wouldn’t have a negative impact on my GPA.
- Many schools recalculate GPA or only use unweighted GPA anyway.
- Schools thst "recommend" 3-4 years of foreign language aren't kidding around. Their definition of course rigor starts with fulfilling their recommendations (if they are available) and only then considers honors/AP level.
- You seem interested in Latin.
Why not continue Arabic on your own? You can do this with on-line courses or with a private tutor. And talk to the admissions offices of the schools you are interested in to see how they handle their language recommendations for students who are bi-lingual. The recommendation or requirement may be quite different than for students for whom English is their native tongue.
You can continue Arabic through online courses or possible CC courses (although I’m not sure if many community colleges have Arabic.) Nevertheless, I see no harm in working towards Latin and taking it for your remaining years.
Continue with Arabic - by “year”, they mean “level achieved”. You should try to find an accredited online Arabic class at the highest level that matches yours (not just listening/speaking, but also reading/writing); there may also be a community college with that class, depending on the area you live in. Reaching Level 4 in Arabic is likely to be easier than reaching Level 4 in Latin. You can take Latin, as an additional language, demonstrating your intellectual curiosity.
Alternatively, if you can find a test or external certification that certifies your level in Arabic, you could present this as proof of your proficiency, and add Latin 1&2.
I would love to continue Arabic, but I am having trouble finding an online accredited course to match my current level. All the online classes I found so far are based on things I have mastered when I was in elementary school, or way too costly. While my CC does happen to offer Arabic, it is also very simple and overlaps in timing with some AP courses I’m planning to take next year, but I might consider taking it for the purpose of achieving even the slightest higher level on my transcript. Thanks N’s Mom, I sent a email to the admissions officer to the school I’m interested in briefly explaining my situation and asking if they handle the language recommendation differently for bi-lingual students.
@MYOS1634 I am currently looking for some sort of certificate/test, but I’m not finding many options. I don’t understand why Arabic is excluded from most standardized subject tests, I’m sure quite a few people would take the SAT II test if it was offered.
I actually emailed college board about it a while back, it seems like an odd oversight.
@MYOS1634 I’d be very interested in what the College Board has to say.
The college board has not bothered replying to my inquiry nor to a subsequent more specific message. At the very least it should be offered in November.