<p>I'm applying to MMLA, a language summer program run through Middlebury College, and I am having difficulty deciding between Spanish, French, and Arabic. I'm in Spanish I and French II as a freshman right now, and by attending Middlebury I could skip a year in either language. If I were to do French, I would be taking AP French Literature by my junior year. If I were to take Spanish I could get up to AP Spanish Literature by senior year. </p>
<p>Arabic is not offered by my school, but I really love the language and would like to work for the State Department or the CIA one day, so this would help a lot. </p>
<p>I like French more than Spanish, but I don't know what to do!</p>
<p>I would do the arabic personally. I hate spanish, and french really isn't that useful. With all the politics going on, I would think that arabic would be a big advantage especially if you want to go into the CIA.</p>
<p>I wouldn't do Chinese IMO. It's really unrealistic to learn the thousands and thousands of kanji that exist in a semi-short period of time. And unless you already know some of the language, you probably won't pass the AP/SAT II Chinese. I've been studying Japanese though, so I'm a bit biased anyway :)</p>
<p>not being rude but all the stupid kids at my school take spanish. the ones who will have a future take french. I think that language sounds better. I don't really know about arabic though.</p>
<p>Pistolen, kanji is what the Japanese call the Chinese characters. In Chinese, it's hanxi.</p>
<p>If you can learn French and Spanish at school, I would personally take advantage of the summer to learn Arabic. If I recall correctly, Middlebury's language program involves full immersion, right? It'll work.</p>
<p>Won't you just forget Arabic after this summer? Unless you're committed to continuing it outside of class, you'll just lose everything you gained. If you take French or Spanish, then you know for sure that you won't forget it because you're taking it in school.</p>
<p>If you took French, would you still be able to take a class after your junior year? If there aren't any French classes after AP, then take the Spanish at the summer program. If you don't take French your senior year you might not do as well on your placement tests for college because of forgetting info.</p>
<p>I'm all for taking Arabic, it just seems that it wouldn't be put to use for a long time. If I were you I would just start it at college.</p>
<p>
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Won't you just forget Arabic after this summer? Unless you're committed to continuing it outside of class, you'll just lose everything you gained.
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I think the OP would commit, because looking at going into the State Department would be a HUGELY awesome deal and Arabic is at the top of the super-critical languages list.</p>
<p>Btw I'm also learning Arabic and looking at the State Department :] It's quite an interesting language and really fun too :D</p>
<p>While arabic is awesome, I'd just wait to take that your 1st year of college. IMO French would be the best to continue for you. But do you plan on taking both french and spanish classes through the entirety of high school? Also another thing to think about is where do you want to study abroad (if at all)? If France is your dream country to visit, or Spain, or Chile, or Egypt, choose the language that you would use most often in whatever country you would like to visit.</p>
<p>hey, I wasn't the one bumping the thread 4 months. But still, someone could have the same problem right now and this thread could be helping them. Ish</p>