Hey y'all! I'm seriously considering applying to one of the Claremonts, but I'm a bit freaked out by their foreign language requirement. Which Claremont school would you say has the most manageable requirement? Does anyone have experiences they could share about fulfilling this? Thanks in advance!
Hello!
Each of the Claremont Colleges does require some form of foreign language study, but the specifics vary between schools.
Pomona requires four semesters of a language or demonstrated proficiency. This could be from high school coursework, so depending on your previous experience, you might have already met this requirement.
Claremont McKenna and Scripps require that you complete the equivalent of three semesters in a single language. Harvey Mudd requires that you simply attempt to learn a new language, which could be less demanding if you're not already comfortable with a second language, but it does necessitate that you step out of your comfort zone.
The important thing to remember is that these requirements can typically be fulfilled in a variety of ways. Depending on your high school foreign language course completion, you may find that you've already met some or all of the requirement for certain colleges. If not, taking language courses in college can be a great way to expand your skills and meet new people.
Many students who are initially apprehensive about language study end up finding it rewarding, and colleges usually offer a variety of language options and support. Meeting these requirements may seem daunting at first, but it can become an enriching part of your college experience!
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