I am a junior in high school and have to choose what course I should take next year. I am currently in Honors Spanish 4, and next year I can choose between an AP Spanish or taking average Spanish. Would it look bad to colleges if I drop from honors to average as I do not like it enough to take AP and there is not an Honors Spanish 5? If I dropped Spanish next year, I would likely take AP psychology instead. I would take this instead, but many colleges recommend 4 years of Spanish and I don’t know if this level change would look worse to them than just dropping language and taking a different AP. Thank you!
As long as level 4 of Spanish corresponds to 4 years worth of Spanish (I assume you started in middle school,) it’s fine to take AP Psychology next year instead of Spanish, as long as you’re confident you can do well/course load is manageable. I would not recommend going from Honors to non-Honors Spanish.
I wish our high school operated this way, but when I took Spanish 1 in middle school, it does not count towards my language requirement. It will not be sent to colleges and they will only see my high school Spanish classes (2 and on. In this case, would your opinion change?
Completing level 4 of a foreign language = 4 years for almost every college in the country. In fact, I cannot think of a single exception.
im sorry to bother, but would you then say that it would look better to take say AP psych than to drop down to average Spanish 5
Well strictly speaking, taking Spanish 5 non Honors (because it’s a small, self-selected class, it’s probably kind of honors anyway) won’t really be different from taking AP Spanish in terms of rigor since you took all available Spanish levels offered. AP Psych is a fun elective but doesn’t really “count” for rigor the way foreign languages does. Are you interested in AP Psych?
What courses would you be taking?
Applicants (and their parents) need to eliminate the words “impressive,” “like,” “best,” or similar words from their vocabulary until after decisions are made. It is the rare application/course schedule/EC that will “impress” admissions. Perhaps the AO that read Malala’s application was “impressed” by her ECs, but she set the bar high. Students should do things that are right for them.
To specifically answer your question: it depends. It depends on your total schedule, your intetests, your college list, your potential major, your potential career. One choice of this class vs that class is unlikely to make or break
I would say I am interested in Psych more so than Spanish, but it is not a class that I am dying to take. I am not exactly sure by what you mean when you ask what courses I would be taking, but if you mean my other classes senior year, I will be taking 4 APS, (gov, Calc AB, ES, and microeconomics) honors English, and the class I am deciding on now. What you said about taking Spanish 5 average is making me think I should just take that instead of AP psych.
Yes, taking “normal” Spanish 5 will be more valuable for an estimation of rigor than AP Psych. It’s still Level 5 of a core course.
So
Spanish 5
AP Gov/Micro
AP Calc AB
AP ES
Honors English
This would be a very strong schedule for a student aiming for a Humanities, Social Science or Business major (outside of Wharton/Stern).
I disagree in this situation. OP has taken four years/to level four of a foreign language, which meets the foreign language expectation of any school. The incremental value of a non-honors fifth year does not exceed the value of an AP course.
OP, I think this is a bit of a free choice for you - take whichever you think will be more interesting/enjoyable.
I think it’s 6 of one, half dozen of the other. Neither choice is bad. Without seeing the Spanish 5 syllabus, it’s tough to gauge value. But as @MYOS1634 said, any students taking Spanish 5 of their own volition is part if a self-selecting group. And the topics covered can be interesting. On the flip side, some AP courses are perceived as more rigorous than others. And let’s be real, every AO knows that AP Psych is not at the same level as AP Calc, or even APUSH.
Whatever OP chooses is fine IMO.