In a few months ill be in 11th grade. To be more detailed in 8th grade I received Honors Spanish one credit that transferred to my high school. In 9th grade, my school did not offer us a language class and the only language my school has is Latin. Because of this in 10th grade I had to take Latin 1. Now that I am going to 11th grade I can keep on taking latin or take spanish(spanish 2) in the computer.
When I talk to my teachers its a 50/50 opinion, half say that colleges prefer spanish because I can use it in the real world and that latin is overrated. The latin teacher says that latin will be the key in getting into a good college or IV school.
The only problem is that if I take spanish schools will see that I am hispanic. I have a very hispanic name and I understand spanish well( i can read and write, although my spelling in complicated words might be off sometimes).
Will good colleges and IV colleges see this as something “bad” ?
Even if I know spanish, it still requires work. Even if Im spanish there are always more complicated words I will not know since I only know the basics.
Another thing to consider is that all of my classes next year will be AP and Honors so this already stands out, meaning that taking latin to stand out wont really be necessary. ( I think?)
If you were in my place what language would you take considering my situation?
Would it even matter since a language is a language ?
I would continue with the Latin, so that you will have 3 years of latin by the time your graduate, since that would greatly differentiate you from most Spanish speaking students by showing[ relative ] fluency in 2 foreign languages.Taking Latin WILL stand out. Much more than Spanish.
Taking Spanish for foreign language credit , as a native speaker would be like someone who speaks English at home trying to get credit for taking English as a foreign language.
Happykid is a native Spanish speaker too. She took two years of Latin in high school in addition to attending weekend Spanish school for her reading and writing skills. The advice she was given was to go straight to AP Spanish. She didn’t end up doing that because she wasn’t applying to colleges that needed more than two years of foreign language.
Dead languages are fine for college admission. Don’t worry about that. It is fine to stick with Latin if you want to. You already speak Spanish as an additional modern language. Since you can read and write Spanish reasonably well, you could be looking for an online AP Spanish Language or AP Spanish Literature course specifically designed for heritage speakers. The school district I live in does offer those sections. Heritage speakers still need fine-tuning of their language skills just like native English speakers need to take English language arts and English literature classes.
If you’d like to take some Spanish lit classes once you get to college, it can be worth your time to prep a bit and take the Spanish SAT II exam and/or the Spanish CLEP exam. Those scores will sometimes place you out of foreign language requirements altogether (Happykid got 12 semester credits for her CLEP score) and often will get you placed into an upper-level course.
That half is wrong. Colleges have no preference.
The Latin teacher is overselling. Taking Latin will not be “key” to anything - certainly not admissions. Continuing Latin may help you with SAT vocabulary, where a higher score may aid admissions.
No. Many heritage speakers of a language understand it. Many speak it rather well, although some do so with less-than-satisfactory (IMO) diction, even accounting for regional variations. Even then, they may not read/write at the appropriate level for their age, which seems to be your situation.
It’s really your choice. Whichever one will best serve you inn the future is the best option, IMO.
This suggests that your skill in Spanish may be higher than high school level 2, though you probably want to be assessed by a high school or college Spanish teacher to determine what the appropriate level Spanish course for you would be. (Some high schools and colleges offer Spanish or other language courses specifically for heritage speakers.)
But if Latin is the only foreign language course offered normally in your high school, then that choice is basically made for you.
Latin will help with respect to college admissions if you apply as a Classics major.
Are you a native speaker ?
I recommend Spanish as Latin is a dead language. I have taken courses in four languages including Latin. Latin is the least useful.
I think it’s a toss up. Personally, I’d take Latin as it is fairly unique in the sense that far fewer take it. ( In addition, most who take it are pretty serious students). Spanish is MORE useful but since you are Hispanic you likely have the spoken component of the language down ( is that is largely the most useful part). Having both Spanish ( from your heritage) and Latin from school makes you most impressive IMO. If I were you I’d take Latin and bump up my Summer studies by studying for Spanish AP over the Summer. That way you would have both.
It also depends on your direction. IF you are leaning towards a helping/business field Spanish might prove more useful. If you are leaning toward medicine it’s a toss up and if you are leaning towards law, politics, history, I’d go for Latin.
Of all the things I studied, the only thing I wished I had studied and didn’t is Latin. It’s the key to tying multiple subjects together. And it’s purely intellectual. That might be why it is a dead language.
Thanks for the responses. This has really helped me make a desicion. If any one else has an opinion dont be afraid to post it since I still have 2 months before I make my final desicion.
Thanks, again
Take Latin. Prepare for the Spanish subject test (find a prep book in the library) and if you have time take AP Spanish Language as an advanced elective.
Having Latin 3 + advanced Spanish will be the best way to ‘stand out’.