<p>Hey. I'm a junior. I've taken Spanish for four years (starting in middle school) and am taking AP Spanish Language this year (highest Spanish in my school). This year I'm also taking French 2 after having studied enough French to skip French 1 at my school. Next year I'm going into French 4 Honors (the only choice is an honors class). </p>
<p>How much of an advantage is having 2 languages? How much of an advantage is skipping ahead a year in French? Will it make me more competitive? Thanks.</p>
<p>It’ll definitely make you more competitive. I think the most important aspect isn’t taking two language classes, as anyone with space can do that, it’s the independent study- make sure that stands out.</p>
<p>That you skipped a year will not give you an extra advantage. More important is that you speak two languages. You just need to think whether there is an area where you can present them to show what impact/use will be to know multiple languages. May be volunteer in shelter with Hispanic/Haitian immigrants, tutor immigrant kids, some ideas, or how you liked reading the literature in the original; depending on your major and interests, you can mention how the languages will enhance your skills. For example if you are pre-med, you can work in immigrant/low income areas and provide service in underserved populations.</p>
<p>Successful completion of level 4 or higher in two languages would look a little more impressive than completion of level 4 or higher in one language.</p>
<p>Skipping a level is not an advantage by itself, although it could allow you to reach a higher level than you could otherwise. Of course, there could be the risk of doing poorly in the higher level due to the skipping.</p>
<p>It’s unusual. It’s not as rare as you might think.</p>
<p>While my daughter was in high school, she took French 2, 3, 4 and 5. In her junior year, she added Latin. She took Latin 1 as a junior and Latin 4 as a senior. Beginning in the spring of her junior year, she took some Arabic at the community college. In her senior year, she added Russian 1. When she was applying to colleges, we discovered that her language skills were not as rare as we had thought.</p>
<p>She didn’t get in everywhere she applied. I think she got a serious look at the place she didn’t get in. </p>
<p>The big advantage in a story like yours, I think, is that it gives you a basis for a coherent story about who you are: I like learning languages, I pick them up quickly, I love the way languages are put together, etc. There can be an application essay in this. The value in this is that it makes you easy to remember. At really selective colleges and universities, students who are forgettable don’t get in, but students who are memorable have a shot. </p>
<p>Your language skills won’t get you into Princeton if you don’t measure up to Princeton’s standards in other respects. But they will get you serious consideration at a lot of universities, and they might tip the scale in your favor if a college is trying to decide between you and some other applicant who’s equally qualified in other respects.</p>
<p>I’m a student in Singapore and I’m currently taking English, Higher Mother Tongue (Chinese) and French. </p>
<p>French’s an elective and it’s not counted into your marks if you don’t want to, but you’ll have to take O levels for it and I’m confident of at least getting a C if I work hard. Would this give me an edge in college admissions, or should I just drop French since I’m not really doing too well? I mean, a C isn’t really pretty to put on your applications.</p>