<p>I'm a senior in high school and Im faced with a dilemma. On the Harvard website I saw that they recommend 4 years of foreign language; however, it seems that I will only be able to get 3 years of a foreign language. Will this hurt my chances of getting in? I may not have had four years of a foreign language but I have taken the hardest classes at my school. I have taken every math and history class available; a total of 7 years of math and history in four years of school. Also I have almost taken every science course with the exception of AP Bio (they don't offer it this year). Personally I feel that taken the hardest courses is more important then Spanish. I would like your opinion on this issue. PS: I want to major in Econ...not Spanish.</p>
<p>Your thread title says "Required Classes," but Harvard has NONE of those. The text of your post correctly refers to recommended classes. The Harvard recommendations are just that, recommendations, not strict requirements. On the other hand, they are a good idea for a balanced, challenging secondary education. You are a senior just now, so in a few months you'll know your admission results. I have no prediction whatever about anyone's chances, but I know the odds are tough for getting into Harvard for everyone.</p>
<p>tokenadult is correct that nothing is required. If there is a reason you can only take three years (for example scheduling conflicts) you can ask your GC to cover that in the recommendation that they write for you. My son couldn't take honors or AP English as a senior, but they still accepted him.</p>
<p>They want to know you took the hardest classes and best curriculum you could. If there was a good reason you couldn't take 4 years of language (school didn't offer it, scheduling etc) make sure, as mathmom says, your counselor covers that, but it definitely won't be held against you if that is the reason.</p>
<p>I only took three years of foreign language so that I could double up on sciences my senior year, and I got in.</p>
<p>It is not a problem at all as long as you take a class in its place (that is, you can't fit it in). Dropping a foreign language so that you can have extra frees, on the other hand, would not be OK.</p>