<p>Ditto on checking colleges for their requirements and what most accepted students will have. Minimum is not the same as competitive when it comes to meeting admissions criteria.</p>
<p>At UW for example, the BA graduation reqs include 4 semesters of one foreign language (3 for a BS) or 3 of one and 2 of a second language. This can be fulfilled by 4 years of HS language, or 3 years in HS plus 2 college semesters (middle school 2 years is usually 1 year of HS). This means finishing level 4 of HS French will suffice for either a BA or BS without needing any foreign language at UW. Most accepted students will have had 4 years’ worth of one HS foreign language- likely with 3 in HS.</p>
<p>Therefore, having the 4th year means for almost all majors no further foreign language needs to be taken. There is no competency test required to meet the req- it doesn’t matter what the caliber of the HS course was or fluency. This frees up college semesters for other courses, such as the better ones found in college compared to even AP versions in HS. This may be true for many other schools as well.</p>
<p>My vote is for continuing in French 3 & 4. As others have said, he’ll be in the most advantageous position as far as Admission is concerned. However, the benefits of studying advanced grammar, translation, etc. will reach beyond French. It will help improve SAT I scores, in understanding English grammar and literature, and in the formation of brain connections and functions that are not necessarily measurable. In addition, it may very well allow him to place out of foreign language requirements in college if he so chooses, thereby saving money or freeing his schedule for something else.</p>
<p>^ NAV: Very good points - all of them. I would add, it just might ignite a real interest in the language, which will serve him well throughout life.</p>
<p>My AP French Lit class in high school was probably the best literature class I took in high school in any language. Moliere, Racine, Corneille, Beaumarchais, Villon, Ronsard, Boileau, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Balzac, Stendahl, Hugo, Mme. de Lafayette . . .</p>
<p>Yes, annasdad, I also neglected to mention the benefits to future study abroad endeavors, work associations (sometimes even including scientific research!), and mere vacations!</p>