MVC, Linear Algebra, Competitive math all qualify as a good alternative.
(AP Psych, not so much :p).
The rule of thumb should be, unless you have one outstanding area of achievement, take all 5 core classes all 4 years.
Ran out of spanish to take because I tested SL last year. Took AP Gov instead.
@MYOS1634 Nah just calc BC and stats this year. Got into Stanford today too.
^CONGRATULATIONS!!! 
(And you won’t make me believe you had nothing exceptional, when you got into Stanford RD :p).
I did Spanish 8th-10th grade (reached level 3) and am going to take level 4 and AP online over the next two years so that I can have room for more APs that interest me
At my school, we skip the first year of Spanish and start out in second year as freshmen. So we all take AP Spanish as juniors and no one does foreign language as a senior.
Sorry I’m reviving this thread, but I wasn’t able to come on for a while.
I’m taking Spanish 4 this year, but it is my third year in high school. I am interested in liberal arts colleges, and most of them require the 4 years of foreign language, but will I pass that requirement since I’ve taken 4 years of a language in total, just 3 years in high school? (2 years of middle school equivalent to 1 year in high school, and 3 years of high school foreign language).
Thanks
@penngirlpending Yes. It’s fine.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1802227-faq-foreign-language.html
I stopped at Spanish 3 sophomore year because the Spanish 4 course at my school kind of sucks.
I’m quitting Latin! But I’m in 4 right now. I could’ve taken AP or 5 (my teacher wanted to offer one for the few of us who got past 4) but didn’t have the motivation for another year of dredging through translations.
I didn’t take a 4th year of language, but if you do a ton of other high level courses (AP, IB, post-AP, etc.), particularly in STEM, many colleges don’t really mind the missing 4th year.
tripling up science and dropping spanish (chem major)
@MYOS1634 I don’t know about the others but MIT’s recommendation is at least 2 years of foreign language. The only ones I know of who want more than 3 are a few of the Ivies.
I’m planning on taking 3 years of spanish but my school only has a 6 period schedule so I don’t have room for an extra year. In a way that’s kind of a relief because the spanish classes at my school are horrible…
I took Spanish 1 and 2 in middle school and 3 in high school, so would that count as 1 year of language or 3 years? I also took Chinese 4 and ap Chinese freshman and sophomore year, so would that be 2 years or 5 (ap chinese is basically Chinese 5)? so what would my total years of language be? thanks!
In foreign language and math, it’s level reached so reaching level 3 is good; reaching AP level in a heritage language and level 3 in another one is considered excellent.
Level 3 is considered the equivalent of having 3 years in one language.
AP is considered as having 5 years in one language but if it’s your heritage language top schools prefer it if you show you can learn a foreign language.
Most colleges do not request/require 4 years of FL, but some do. An applicant would be well served to research the requirements/recommendations of their target colleges. Amherst, Boston College, Stanford, and Cal Poly are just 4 non-Ivy League schools that recommend 4 years of FL. Whether not having that background will hurt in the admissions process is another question.
I’m in honors French 4 this year and am opting to take AP stat next year instead of honors French 5 or AP French.
I would make sure you get to the 4th level of your Foreign Language if you can.
I took French 4 first semester but dropped it second semester because it was the same period as AP Lit, and I wanted to take that more. My schedule went from:
English Elective
French 4
BC Calc
AP Gov
AP Physics C
To
AP Lit
Multivar. Calc
AP Gov
AP Physics C