I am a junior in high school right now and I am really conflicted on whether or not I should take French 3 next semester.
I have taken French 1 and 2 already during previous years and did mediocre with a B and a C. I know UC’s recommend 3 years of Foreign Language, but even if I get a B next semester, because it is a solid block class (my school has block scheduling with some classes alternating every other day for the whole year or solid block everyday for one semester) it will significantly lower be expected gpa. I expect to get around a 4.25 weighted gpa next semester without French, but if I do include French I will most likely get a 3.83 weighted gpa.
What do you think I should do?
What do colleges care about more, me taking the 3rd year recommended class or getting a higher gpa without it?
Also, I was thinking of maybe just taking it senior year because senior grades are not as crucial as Junior grades. Would this be a possible idea?
I need an answer ASAP. Thanks in advanced for your help.
P.S
How is overall gpa calculated, if in sophomore year I took more classes than in junior year, does it weigh more heavily or do they just combine the overall gpa of each year? (I got a 3.4 last year but this year without French it would be a weighted 4.0)
My suggestion is that you wait and take that third year of French in senior year BUT also take a French class over the summer to shore up your weak second year performance so you aren’t over your head. That way, you have 3 years of a language and a solid foundation on which to move forward. Trying to take a more advanced French class on top of a semester where you got a C implies that there is a lot you didn’t master, so that should be remediated before you move on. And by waiting until senior year to take French, you avoid tanking your GPA if the worst happens and you get another C.
Another option that is available in our school district would be to take your third year of french on-line. That might cost money, but it would enable you to get the credit for continuing with the study of a language at an advanced level, which schools want to see, and you can study at your own pace. That means you could complete a single semester over the course of a full academic year - but this requires self-discipline and you’d have to decide if it was worth it.
It also depends to some extent on where you are applying for college. What do those schools require? What do they recommend?
I think colleges want you to take rigorous classes AND get good grades in them. I’d take the 3rd year of French, but agree with N’s mom that you need to complete some foundation work first.