I’m currently in a dilemma and I need advice regarding whether or not to take a third year of a foreign language or to take AP Psychology, a class that I have always wanted to take. I’m currently going into my senior year, and I’m taking AP Macroecon, AP Lit, AP Gov, Math Analysis Honors, and orchestra. I have spoken to many of the colleges I am applying to and they say a third year would be great, but to also take what I am passionate about, which doesn’t really help. I’m going to have a lot of extracurriculars senior year as well (clubs to manage are a huge part of that), and I think AP Psychology will be a lighter load of a class than Spanish.
Take the third year of foreign language.
Why do you think so?
Colleges like to see 3 or 4 years of a foreign language and AP Psychology is considered a “soft” AP class. Even the colleges you talked with said take 3 years right?
With that said, it’s your high school life and if Psychology is a class you really want to take and will give you time to do well in your other classes , than you should do it but know that there might be some repercussions for not taking that 3rd year of a language.
Look at the admissions websites of the colleges you are targeting. Often they will provide a recommended list of courses they would like to see on your transcript. Many, if not most, selective schools want to see 3 or maybe 4 years of a foreign language.
As noted above, AP psych is not considered a rigorous course and many schools prefer to see 3-4 years of foreign language. Save the psych class for college.
Adcoms won’t make the decision for you. What targets? The top colleges generally only excuse dropping language when it conflicts with a very high level math class. Not for AP psych, which is considered an easy course. The want to see you reached the more intense level of foreign lang, which includes higher reading and writing skills and more about culture, current events, etc.
Tell us you have the core (and some rigorous) history and lab science classes. Make sure you check what these targets recommend for the range of hs courses.
Then there is your answer. Take psych in college. But right now, focus on getting into college. Taking three social studies courses at the expense of another core subject is not the right move IMO
The answer depends on the colleges/universities you intend to apply to, but most selective schools (and not just the super-elites) strongly prefer three or four years of a foreign language. Two years is the bare minimum, (and not even the minimum for many selective schools). Check the admissions requirements for all schools you’re thinking of applying to. If the school says that two years are required but three are recommended, Assume for YOUR purposes that three are required if you are to have a good chance of admissions…two will be seen as a deficit.
High school is the time for covering all of the basic skills, not for specializing. Foreign language is considered one of those core basic skills and two years just doesn’t give you competency. In addition, most colleges/universities will have a FL graduation requirement but some/all of that may be waived if you pass a competency exam as an incoming freshman. If you don’t take Spanish senior year, you may forget much of what you learned and have to start college Spanish (or another FL) from the beginning again, in college classes that will move twice as fast as those you had in high school. Psychology is fascinating, but it can wait until you get to college.
Okay, looking at all of your answers and considering what the admissions offices have told me, I will take Spanish 3. Thank you all for your feedback, I really appreciate it.
Wise choice. If you are that interested in psychology, you can check some books out of the library to read on your own, or wait to take it in college.
Spending one whole year on a class that is very often offered online at many universities for one semester or one quarter is not worth it IMO. The third class/level of a foreign language is much more important.
If you wanted to, you could take a Psychology class online at a community college, 75% it will be offered online.