I’d appreciate your thoughts on the following regarding my daughter who is now in 10th grade and intends to major in physical sciences.
She has done 5 years of French (6th to 10th) and has completed her school’s requirement for foreign language. She is scheduling French for 11th grade because she has been told “full 4 years of a foreign language looks good when you apply for college”.
Q, how important is this “4 years of foreign language” etc. with a view to applying for college? esp. since she plans to major in science?
I was suggesting that instead of French in 11th, she could either take another science course or something new and totally different, say painting or photography or music.
<p>I think, what's more important than What class should I take? is In what areas am I the most dedicated and involved? If she is very involved in French (i.e. officer in French Club, participates in activities and fundraisers thereof, lots of awards, goes on an exchange trip--if there is one--, maybe tutors or teaches French, etc) then I would suggest sticking to that. Colleges would rather see one or two pursuits that a student is passionate about than someone in fifteen different clubs who does next to nothing in any of them. </p>
<p>In my opinion, if she wants to take French again, let her. It's apparently something she loves, and I highly doubt one class is going to make or break her at even the most selective schools. After all, she could always take one of those other classes senior year.</p>
<p>I would say no, but it depends on the college and what your other options are; my daughter is planning to major in engineering, and only took 2 years of language. When we visited UIUC, we got a brochure that said: "3 years of a language is strongly recommended". When I asked why, the adcom said if you have 3 yr in hi school, then you have fulfilled UIUC's engineering school's requirement and don't have to deal with it in college; he said it doesn't affect admission (but the way it was worded in the brochure made it sound like it did, so I thought that was confusing).</p>
<p>depends on the level on which she is aiming...the most selective schools (aka Ivies, top LACs) prefer at least four years each of every solid: history, science, math, foreign language, english. Others are a lot more flexible. Indeed, many schools are now requiring foreign language proficiency which can be completed thru an AP test. </p>
<p>Most definitely she should take at least 3 years if not 4 years of French.
In addition, she should take as many science courses as possible.
The two are not mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>It depends upon a couple of things. First, in general colleges have required classes and strongly recommended classes. You pretty much must take the required. Check the College Board website, they have each colleges specifications for academic coursework. The strongly recommended are somewhat optional--esp if you have a good reason not to take certain ones--like having an interest in a particular subject you want to take instead. </p>
<p>Highly selective colleges ask for 3 years of language and reccommend 4. It is not dependent upon the HS's graduation requirements. So the key here is what level the classes are. If the transcript will include the 9th grade course, then she already has 3 years (Hopefully Fr I, II and II). Check with you school's GC office or Registrar for this. It wouldn't hurt to take an AP Fr Lit class, for instance, to build a strong resume, but if she has interests elsewhere then I'd say go with that. It really depends upon which tier school she is applying to if this is an issue or not.</p>