I am a junior in college. I have take French 1-3. I received an A or higher all 3 years. However, I don’t like the teacher as she is really bad at teaching the language. A lot of my classmates have the same problem, so we all decided to drop the class next year. However, I realized Harvard recommends 4+ years of a language, and I want to apply there and other selective schools. Should I take French 4 over the summer? I have no room in my schedule next year for a language as I am taking AP classes (mainly in math and science). Should I just be happy with 3 years or take it online? Thanks for the advice!
Are you a junior in high school, or a junior in college?
Harvard is either a reach or out of reach for everyone. I would not base this decision on your chances of getting into Harvard. You can’t plan you life based on something that probably will not happen.
If you are mainly taking math and science, what do you expect to study in university?
Hi, a junior in HS. Harvard is one of the colleges I’m applying to next year, but I’m talking about the more selective schools in general like the Ivys and other public and private ones. I am thinking of majoring in biology or something along those lines. I like the language, but it’s very hard to learn with my teacher and I would like to show colleges I did 4 years of a language. Recommendation based on that?
If your applying for highly select colleges they have so many applicants that not meeting the recommended classes can be an easy way to weed out applicants. If your taking extra math and science classes they don’t make up for being short on another core subject. Language over the summer can be a 4-8 week course that you normally take full year so it might be very fast paced but you might enjoy it.
Agreed. But if many schools on the list “suggest” 4 years, it’s wise to follow the recommendations.
As an FYI, this is something that you should not say in an application. It’s not like you can’t take because you have a schedule conflict; you arechoosing not to take it in order to jam in 4-5 science classes. When a college like Harvard puts though into suggesting a HS curriculum, it does so with the expectation that students will follow it barring extenuating circumstances.
Extenuating circumstances include :
• Applicant is an international student following a curriculum that does not align with the American standard. (e.g. UK)
• Schedule conflicts preclude the student from achieving the recommendations (in which case, the GC should say so in the GC rec)
• HS graduation requirements supersede a college’s recommended preparation
• For pedagogical reasons, the HS does not start study in a core subject until sophomore year.
• The HS discontinued the FL for budgetary reasons/staff retirement. Again, the GC should indicate this on the Secondary School Report.
Extenuating circumstances do not include:
• The applicant chooses to double up on one core subject at the expense of another core subject
• The applicant does not like a certain subject
• The teacher of a certain subject sucks.
Also keep in mind that Harvard, and many of its peers, requires foreign language to graduate. Harvard, in particular, requires 4 semesters unless you place out or place into a higher level. So the more you take in HS, the less (hopefully) you have to take in college. Note that instructors for introductory/intermediate language courses at Harvard (depending on the language) are TA’s, the instructional quality may be great, or it may be horrible. It’s luck of the draw.
So yes, if taking French 4 over the summer is the best way for you to complete level 4, you should do it.
Of not offered over the summer, look into summer programs such as Concordia language villages.
Note that college course numbers don’t match exactly HS so, French 3/103/201 in college would typically require French 1-3 in highschool as a pre-requisite.