Recommendations for Foreign Language/Social Studies Univerisites

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello all! I'm currently a junior, trying to find more universities to look into that suit my interests and ability. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated! Some info:</p>

<p>Interested in: Universities strong in foreign language (especially Spanish, French, and Chinese), good study abroad programs, strong social studies, especially political science, government, history, and international studies. High selectiveness and urban campus a plus!</p>

<p>Testing:</p>

<p>-29 on ACT freshman year
-Taking ACT and SAT junior year at least once each, then again senior year
-Hoping to get at least a 32 on ACT</p>

<p>GPA Unweighted: 3.7</p>

<p>Classes (if everything goes according to plan):</p>

<p>-10 AP by time of graduation
-Most likely a 5 on the AP Spanish, French, and Chinese tests
-Nontraditional advancement in English, Spanish, and Math
-Took extra courses (course compacting, online, and over summer)
-Through Youth Options program, will take total of 8 classes at local university by graduation
-Tested into AP French from Independent study (no previous French)</p>

<p>Student Organizations (strongest area) 2009-2011:</p>

<p>Gay-Straight Alliance (Freshman member, Soph. and Junior Pres.), Interfaith Club (Soph Pres.), Political Debate Club( Soph. Member, Junior Co-Pres.), Earth Society(Soph. member), Mariachi Band (Junior member), Yearbook (Freshman editor), String Choir (Soph/Junior Member), Book Club (Fresh., Soph., Junior Member), Math League (Fresh. Member), Chamber Orchestra (Junior Member) French Club (Soph. Member, Junior Co-Pres.), Spanish conversation club (Junior Member), Principal's Student Advisory Council (Junior Member) and Creative Writing Club (Soph. Member, Junior VP), Mock Trial (Junior, Lawyer).</p>

<p>Outside (weakest area?):</p>

<p>-Involved with local PFLAG, attended national lobbying conference in D.C.
-Work with state-wide LGBT youth organization, presenting conferences at workshops, served as youth staff at activist camp
-Volunteer with local PAC</p>

<p>Those are my main relevant stats. Any advice on what universities I could get into relevant to my interests? Any tips to boost the profile a bit?</p>

<p>I'm also looking at:</p>

<p>-UChicago
-UToronto
-Middlebury
-UW-Madison
-UM-Twin Cities
-McGill</p>

<p>Any idea on acceptance chances for those schools, or if they are a good fit? Sorry if this is just a wall of text, thanks much for any advice!</p>

2

<p>You should add Indiana U and Ohio State to your list.</p>

3

<p>Bumping thread, thanks to zapfino for the recommendations!</p>

4

<p>In terms of the languages, are you mainly interested in advanced courses in the languages, or additional courses in literature, culture, history, etc. associated with the languages?</p>

<p>Literature (in those languages) courses are often under the same language department, but culture, history, etc. courses may be under other departments (e.g. the history department for history courses), so when you are checking course offerings at various schools in their on-line course catalogs, be sure to check all of the departments that may have the courses you are interested in.</p>

<p>Perhaps a Francophone school in Qu</p>

5

<p>I’m interested in both, with a leaning towards language. Good point about the literature! And yes, the main non-English schools I’m looking at are Canadian, primarily McGill. Thanks for the advice!</p>

6

<p>[McGill</a> University](<a href=“http://www.mcgill.ca%5DMcGill”>http://www.mcgill.ca) says (at the bottom of the page):</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Some other universities in Qu</p>

7

<p>From McGill’s website:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>The main French-language universities in Montreal are Universite de Montreal and UQAM. But Montreal is said to be the most bilingual city in the world, roughly 70% speaking French at home and 30% speaking English at home, but with most English speakers at least functional in French and vice versa.</p>

<p>Have you considered Middlebury? Very strong on languages but also good in social sciences.</p>

<p>[EDIT: sorry about the cross-post].</p>

8

<p>Yeah, that was my main thinking with McGill; it would ensure I could still do well in all my classes, as they would be instructed in English, but I could still practice French through the city. I’ll add Universite de Montreal and UQAM to my list, thanks! Regarding Middlebury, yes, it’s one of the top at my list.</p>

9

<p>Any other recommendations? The ones I’ve gotten are great, added to my list.</p>

10

<p>You might want to take a look at the top international relations schools. Georgetown and Johns Hopkins come to mind. I’m not very familiar with Georgtown, but JHU has a great history department, a well-regarded department of [Germanic</a> and Romance Languages](<a href=“http://grll.jhu.edu/about/]Germanic”>About | Department of Modern Languages and Literatures | Johns Hopkins University), and their program in [East</a> Asian Studies](<a href=“http://sites.jhu.edu/east-asian/undergrad_studies.html]East”>http://sites.jhu.edu/east-asian/undergrad_studies.html) is heavily focused in China (Hopkins has a campus in China through SAIS). They have been steadily growing their foreign language offerings through the [Center</a> for Language Education](<a href=“http://www.cledu.jhu.edu/about.htm]Center”>http://www.cledu.jhu.edu/about.htm).</p>

<p>I’m not sure what you’re looking for in terms of an urban campus. If you want something like NYU, Hopkins is probably not the best option. It’s in a city (Baltimore), but it has a more traditional campus of grassy quads, with a small park on one side and an urban village on the other.</p>

11

<p>I have only skimmed this thread, but I have not seen the names Tufts, GW and American. I also suggest University of Maryland, College Park, which isn’t in a major city, but is on the Green Line of the DC Metro system. Maryland has an absolutely phenomenal Language House for undergraduates.</p>

<p>If you do wind up with 3.7 (that’s unweighted?) and 32, you’d be a shoo-in at GW and American. You would probably get significant merit aid at American, if that matters to you.</p>