<p>S is registering for classes for senior year in HS. He has no interest in science and will probably major in communications or business in college. He was planning on taking college spanish next year, but his guidance counselor is recommending taking a science instead, since most schools want to see four years of science. I feel he should take college spanish instead, since most colleges require you to take a foreign language. Have any CC parents had experience with their children not getting into a school because they didn't have science or a foreign language senior year. I'm not talking about the top schools. S has a 3.1 GPA and will take SAT's on saturday. Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>If your sciences have all been with labs from fresh-junior year, you already have 3 lab sciences (which seems to be the requirement)....If you have 3 years of language, that also seems to be fine....</p>
<p>That being said, this really depends on where your son is interested in applying to.....I agree with your GC; many schools, even lower tiered ones, like to see 4 years of science....they are not as concerned with foreign language it appears....</p>
<p>Schools that have a foreign language requirement often require placement tests prior to freshman year, unless there is AP credit involved....</p>
<p>Just wondering, why is it a choice between a science and FL? doesn't he have room for both?</p>
<p>I think he'd be fine either way, but it really depends a bit where he's applying. The tippy top colleges would rather see four years of both. If he's got a year of physics, bio and chem he should be fine. If any of those were at an AP level, even better. If he started the language in middle school so that it says that he was at a 4th year level on the transcript, most colleges will count that as four years of a language. Given that he's not applying to the top schools, I think he'll be more than fine and in business or communications the language is likely to be much more useful in the long run.</p>
<p>No he doesn't have room for both. Since he is classified (learning disability - processing problem) he had to repeat his first year of spanish. Since then, he has been doing well in the subject. He also has to take a resource room class once each day where he can get his time and a half on tests and other support. He really doesn't need the support, but has to take this class. For two years in a row, he has had a free period only once or twice a week. He really wants to have a free at least once a day. He also has never had a chance to take an elective class because of this. He really wants to take two electives and he also wants a free period. I can't blame him. He works very hard in all of his classes and is very responsible about advocating for himself. So he has to choose between spanish and science,</p>
<p>So, this would be his 3rd year of Spanish?? If so, and given your other info, I would go with the language....and has he had 3 lab sciences already? sorry for asking again......</p>
<p>If he has any schools on his radar, how about a call to your regional admissions rep?</p>
<p>But if the 3 sciences were Bio, Chem and Physics, I'd let the kid choose.</p>
<p>It's been a while but one of mine had only 3 years of each, a GPA near your son's, no APs and had choices for college.</p>
<p>I think it would be helpful to hear the schools, or at least types of schools, the student aims for. If the OP doesn't want to name schools, perhaps s/he could give examples of similar schools.</p>
<p>The answer to the question does depend, as others have said, on the schools in question.</p>
<p>The three sciences he comleted are earth science, biology and chemistry. Physics is not required to graduate, and only students thinking of majoring in engineering, medicine or science take it/ He took Spanish for two years in Middle School, and at the end of 8th grade, students are given a proficiency test to gain credit for Spanish 1. The first two weeks into 8th grade spanish, the teacher told me he would fail the course. Instead of trying to get him switched out of the class, I made a mistake and told him to do the best he could. He didn't take the proficiency, got a D in the course (basically because he gave up - when your teacher tells you you will fail, what's the incentive???) Anyway, he repeated Spanish 1 in the 9th grade a received a B. He struggled with Spanish last year - mainly because his teacher would mark the entire question on the test wrong if there was one accent missing or word misspelled. This year, he has the same teacher as 9th grade, and he has a B+ average. She recommended him for college level spanish. I do know that most colleges require a language, so this would benefit him more than science. I will call some of the schools on his list to get their opinion.</p>
<p>If he's not going into a science field then I would not have him take Physics. Although, it might be useful in learning about the world and how things work Spanish might serve him better. However, if this is his third year in Spanish let him know that it's going to be somewhat difficult. Third year Spanish is where you really learn the meat of Spanish. But it's really useful and beneficial to learn.</p>
<p>He would actually take AP Environmental instead of physics, which is a very difficult course. I'm fairly certain he will wind up taking spanish. I'll have him contact some admissions offices to make sure he's not making a mistake.</p>
<p>My guess is he will need to take either (or both) language and science in college. The benefit of taking language in senior year is the continuity to take or test out in college. College science requirements are fulfilled with a wide variety of course options : Physics of baseball, astronomy, ecology and evolution, ethics in gentics, etc.</p>
<p>I vote for taking Spanish next year.</p>
<p>^^I agree, from what we've heard so far, it sounds like Spanish would be the safer choice. I don't think he'll get credit for three years of a foreign language unless he takes it.</p>
<p>He is finishing the third level of spanish this year and taking the Regents in June. The spanish course he would be taking is College Spanish. His HS only requires three years of spanish and three years of science - and this year (his junior year) he fulfilled both requirements. Both the science and spanish next year would be extra courses.</p>
<p>I would check the pages of colleges he thinks he is interested in attending. Many schools will accept a student with less than 4 years in the same foreign language, but then more must be taken while in college. For example, my D's uni (really a LAC) will say a student need not take any in college if the student has completed three years with the caveat that the final grade in that third year is B or better. If not, the student must take a placement exam (very tough there) or take 4 semesters while at the school.</p>
<p>Many others I know of have similar policies. At many schools, two will get you in, perhaps, but then you take more there.</p>
<p>Good luck. It's a jungle out there in the college world.</p>
<p>Okay, didn't realize you were in NY. He's okay with the language for most schools. My son opted to do the fourth year (as a junior) because the GC bullied him into it. He's getting a lowish B, so I don't know if it was a good idea or not. We are lucky at our school that many kids skip the earth science and go directly to bio in 8th grade - so we fit the physics in more easily. Honestly, I still think it's a wash. He gets a little ding either way, but the Spanish will ultimately be much more useful.</p>