<p>Two years (three years recommended) of the same language other than English. Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading, composition and culture. American Sign Language and classical languages, such as Latin and Greek, are acceptable. Courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.</p>
<p>SAT Subject Test</p>
<p>The following scores satisfy the entire requirement:</p>
<p>Chinese With Listening: 520
French/French With Listening: 540
German/German With Listening: 510
Modern Hebrew: 470
Italian: 520
Japanese With Listening: 510
Korean With Listeninig: 500
Latin: 530
Spanish/Spanish With Listening: 520
AP or IB examination</p>
<p>Score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP Language or Literature Exam in French, German, Spanish or Latin (Chinese, Italian and Japanese are pending faculty approval); score of 5, 6 or 7 on an IB Language A2 HL exam</p>
<p>College courses</p>
<p>Grade of C or better in any transferable course(s) (excluding conversation) held by the college to be equivalent to two years of high school language. Many colleges list the prerequisites for their second course in language as “Language 1 at this college or two years of high school language.” In this case, Language 1 clears both years of the requirement.)))))))</p>
<p>(from UC site)</p>
<p>yeah… so if you pass SAT 2 test in language with the scores above, you dont need to take foreign language in high school
thats why we native speakers want to take sat 2 test</p>
<p>To be fair, the Literature subject test has a pretty harsh curve, too, and it’s much easier for native English speakers than people who have grown up speaking a different language. Being a native speaker of more than one language, though, is clearly the most advantageous.</p>
<p>I do agree, though, that the curves should be more generous.</p>
<p>I don’t have any statistics or anything, but I think the majority of people who take it are US citizens with native parents. While there are many people like me who have not bothered learning it specifically and can listen, understand, and speak it from exposure (at home) but cannot read or write it, I find that the ones who’re really studious- for example, the ones who go to competitive schools in CA or the ones who go all out and take as many SAT subject tests as they can- are the majority of the people who take the test, and who “screw” the curve and make it so hard for non-native test-takers. There are a lot of Asians in the US, and while many like me did not (regrettably) put any effort into retaining their roots (knowing how to read and write like their parents), many more have, and can listen and understand, speak, read, and write perfectly.</p>
<p>If I was completely fluent in Chinese, even though it wouldn’t matter (because of my race) I’d still take the subject test. You’re recommended to take the subject tests that you’re good at, and if you know you can ace the Chinese one, why not? It can’t hurt your application, and if anything it’ll just be an extra good (albeit maybe useless) subject test score on your application. And if an easy test could fulfill school requirements that I might need to meet? Of course I’d take it.</p>
<p>Also, even though I learned Chinese before English and I definitely count English as my first language, I’d still consider myself a native speaker. Though I was born in the US, my parents are both native speakers and I’ve been exposed to it since birth. However, the only time I’m exposed to Chinese is at home; I speak English everywhere else, and can only read and write in English. </p>
<p>I definitely won’t take the Chinese test, because I can’t read or write- and even if I could, because of my heritage my score would be meaningless anyways. Like I said, I think the people who’re “screwing” the curve and non-native test-takers are the ones who’re raised in America but are bilingual because of their family and heritage. However, I don’t see these people as having an unfair advantage over others. Even though they grew up immersed in the language, they still had to learn it too, especially the reading and writing part. And you can’t really argue that it’s unfair that they just happen to be children in families that speak both Chinese and English. It’d be like arguing about a child who was born into a family living in the middle of nowhere on a farm versus a child who was born into a family living in a competitive area with the best schools and facilities.</p>
<p>OHMYGOODNESS. thats what I have been wondering for like forever lol. Im a native chinese speaker, and like many others, was considering to take the SATII chinese, but after reading around, I figured, it can actually make me seem desperate to prove to the admissions people that in addition to other things, I’m a native chinese speaker too! well, if my name wasn’t such a giveaway, maybe the admissions people would stop and consider me ‘special’, but unfortunately, like all the others taking the SAT II chinese, it is more likely that I am chinese too. (and my name doesn’t really help). anyways, I was thinking of doing the French SAT II, since I study that too, but after going through the practice test, I think I may be dropping SAT II languages all together… ):</p>
<p>I’m from a competitive high school where most are native speakers of both Chinese and English. Taking Chinese as a subject test is almost looked down upon, and is discouraged by the school gc.</p>
<p>This month I took Japanese with Listening instead.</p>
<p>^If you wanted to take Chinese, you wouldn’t have been out of line in doing so. At the end of the day, naysayers won’t be following you to college.</p>
<p>Not entirely true. Submitting the Chinese subject test to satisfy an SAT subject test requirement is most often not looked upon favorably when the applicant is a native speaker of Chinese living in China. Submitting it as a supplemental subject test is another matter, and shouldn’t be a problem (although I can’t see where it would help very much either).</p>
<p>The guidance counselor who discourages students from taking it probably knows what he’s talking about.</p>
<p>My thought:
It is a test and you have been working hard to maintain the language skills, so just take it.
The admission officers won’t give it a credit, that’s unfair for you. Anyway, being bilingual is an advantage.
Learning two languages IS NOT easy. I have been learning English when I was a teenager and I still learn it every day, but I am still not so good at the language.</p>
<p>There’s nothing unfair about not giving a native speaker credit for speaking his or her native language. Really, one would expect a native Chinese person living in China to speak Chinese!</p>
<p>If, one the other hand, you’re talking about a Chinese-American, born and raised in this country, then that’s a different situation entirely. As has been pointed out in this thread, reading and writing Mandarin when you’re born and raised in the U.S. is a significant accomplishment . . . and I’d guess that the admissions officers recognize that.</p>
<p>^I think since you’re Cantonese and you would basically have to relearn how the characters sound for the listening comprehension, it’s not brainless at all.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m not Cantonese, I’m Mandarin, but my step-dad forbids speaking Chinese in the house, so I had to study my butt off to do well on the SAT II. :/</p>
<p>To katieng98: I agree with ElvenRanger, on the basis that I speak Mandarin and I’d have a hell of a time learning Cantonese haha. You do have a slightly unfair advantage, being from Hong Kong, but I think there’s enough of a difference between Mandarin and Cantonese (pronunciation, grammar, etc) to count for something. </p>
<p>Anyways, I think there’s no real need for the concern displayed in this thread…As a Chinese person with plenty of Chinese friends and acquaintances, not a single one of us (that I know of at least) took the SAT Chinese. It’s sorta looked down upon, like another user said (taking the easy way out). And we’re all 2nd-gen Americans - I imagine the stigma of taking the SAT Chinese must be even worse for actual Mandarin-speaking Chinese citizens! Sure some people might take it, but I think the majority of us/them don’t bother.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I do actually plan on taking the test. I feel really really bad for messing with the curve, but it is true that I had to take ~10 years of weekly Chinese classes, like many of my fellow Chinese-Americans. More importantly, though, I want/need to get out of my college’s language requirement. I already have so many classes I want to take outside of my major, I don’t have time for this language crap haha. So to answer the original question: because I don’t want to take more classes in college than I need to.</p>
<p>Edit: Though I guess by dodgersmom’s standards, I’m not actually a native speaker, so the original question doesn’t actually apply to me. But my reasoning stands for actual native speakers too, I’d think. I think another user pointed this out too.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! I’m coming to America this coming semester and I’m just trying to consider my options. I still have a lot of time so I should probably work hard on other subjects first and see how things works out. lol</p>
<p>I’m seeing this post now, but as far as I know, if you grew up in China and attended Chinese school in China, you can’t take Chinese subject test. Well, you can, but many selective colleges won’t take it. (e.g. Harvard) Check it on their admission website. They say it clearly. Same thing goes for Koreans, Vietnamese, Latinos, French, etc.</p>
<p>I’m Chinese but Chinese is the second language I’ve learned. A lot of these people are not native speakers but actually Chinese-Americans they go to Chinese school every Sunday to learn Chinese. Plus, the SAT Chinese can help them place into higher language classes in college depending on their score.</p>
<p>Quote “Your argument would be better if you suggested that native speakers of English be prohibited from taking the TOEFL.”</p>
<p>This is an invalid comparison between TOEFL and SAT Chinese Subject Test. TOEFL is a Test of English as a Foreign Language, so it would certainly not make any sense if a native English speaker takes it. But SAT Chinese Subject Test is not listed as SAT Chinese as a Foreign Language Test. Since it is simply a language test, anybody who can demonstrate their proficiency in that language should be equally qualified to take it. As to how that score is used for college admissions, it totally depends on individual colleges. Like AP scores of any subject, some colleges take them, some colleges do not, no matter how well you score on those tests. On the other, some colleges do not take those AP or SAT scores does not mean you should not take it. You take it for those colleges that are looking for you with those great scores.</p>
<p>To answer your question, what is the value of that score to the Chinese native speaker? The value is to demonstrate to the colleges that this person knows how to use the language, and if any college needs somebody who is strong in that language, this college can choose him or her. Colleges want strong candidates in different areas for different reasons. If you are not good in or never learned Chinese, choose something else. Nobody would bother to question you if you have been playing basketball since childhood and got admitted into a college that is looking for someone that can play basketball well. Other people would not bother to question you because they may not play well as you do. It simply a marketing thing, you show what you can do, colleges find what they want. So why do you bother to question someone who has the ability to use a language well and wants to tell the colleges just that? </p>
<p>Do you know that a majority of Chinese language professors in US colleges are Chinese native speakers? And likewise, most French language professors in US colleges are French native speakers, most Spanish language professors in US colleges are Spanish native speakers, and most English language professors in US colleges are English native speakers, and most “X” language professors in US colleges are “X” native speakers? What is wrong is that? I believe most of those professors attend their colleges and got their PhDs in the US in their own language. They speak their own language, they demonstrate they can use that language, they got into colleges and they got their degrees in that language and they become experts in that language. What is wrong with that? Even if they got into colleges and majored in other subjects and become experts, what is wrong with that?</p>
<p>Same thing happens with Spanish (or any foreign language) subject test. However, hispanics have the benefit of being URM anway, but not Chinese. I feel bad for those with Chinese last time but not speaking Chinese natively and take the test. Many schools would not value it too much and think you are a native speaker. If that is one of the 2 required subject test submitted to the admission office, there is a chance (although not necessary) of giving a bad impression in the reviewing process. So, it is strongly discouraged to do that. Why would one take the risk? Those who think that is a smart way to get easy score, it is actually not smart at all.
Even worse, some school may even question about your foreign language requirement for school application. Again, it may not be a problem most of the time, but why would one take the risk?
There is no problem at all for a native speaker to major in the same language, but for school application, it is a different game. Everybody is trying to impress the admission office. This is simply not a way to impress anyone.</p>