AP Spanish Lang or Anatomy & Physiology?
Hello! I took Spanish 1 in eighth grade and it does appear on my HS transcript (albeit in trimesters instead of semesters. It's a bit weird that way). I really want to pursue immunobiology or really any kind of biomedical science in the future.
I'm figuring out my 4-year course plan since, you know, planning is good. In my senior year, I can either take AP Spanish Language or Anatomy & Physiology (which is a College in the High School Class + I REALLY REALLY want to take it).
I'm wondering which would be the better choice—especially since I'm planning to apply to a lot of colleges that say "4 years of foreign language is recommended" (I've interpreted that as "non-negotiable"). Would my Spanish 1 in middle school, that, yes, shows up in my transcript, count towards that 4 years? Would taking anatomy and physiology instead of AP Span Lang REALLY hurt me in the admissions process?
Also, this isn't about rigor. I'm just wondering if colleges that recommend four years of language will accept my MS Spanish 1.
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4 answers
Yes, your Spanish 1 from 8th grade should count toward the “four years of foreign language” recommendation since it appears on your high school transcript. That means you already meet the general expectation for most colleges. If you’re planning to major in biomedical sciences, Anatomy & Physiology would be the more valuable choice, as it directly aligns with your future field. Colleges like to see both rigor and relevance, and science courses strengthen your preparation. Skipping AP Spanish won’t hurt you as long as your transcript shows a clear language sequence. So, Anatomy & Physiology is the better option.
Hi! Colleges often accept a middle school foreign language if it’s listed on your high school transcript, so Spanish 1 from 8th grade should count toward the recommended four years. That means your 8th grade Spanish plus Spanish 2 and 3 would generally meet the requirement.
If you’re considering biomedical sciences, Anatomy & Physiology is a strong elective and aligns well with your interests. It shows admissions officers your direction and can add value to your application.
If you want to be sure, you can check a few college websites or contact their admissions offices about middle school language credits. But in most cases, you should be all set.
Skipping AP Spanish for Anatomy & Physiology shouldn’t be a problem if you already have those Spanish credits. Anatomy sounds like a good fit for your goals.
Hi there,
I’m another freshman who’s done a lot of 4 year plans and talked to a lot of college counselors. One thing to consider is that by taking AP Spanish, you indicate that you’ve completed 4 years of language, even if it doesn’t appear on your transcript (although it likely will).
Colleges don’t mean to ask for a set amount of time, but rather a certain amount of effort. AP Spanish shows that you’ve made that effort. Additionally, if you’re on this website as a 9th grader, you know what a spike is. If you know you want to do immunology, biomedical science, or pre-med (super cool, by the way), it’s good to add to that spike, which A&P will. Not only will it not be a detractor on your application, it will be a benefactor. I would definitely go with A&P here.
Hope this helped.
Your MS Spanish 1 should be accepted, because regardless of when you took it, it still counts as a high school credit. I had the same question with math, as I took Alg 1, Geometry, and Alg 2 all in middle school, and wasn't sure if that was going to count on my HS transcript. It should work. Good luck with your academic! :)
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Hi! Your Spanish credits should count, so anatomy would be a good option based on your interests. On the other hand, pursuing Spanish one more year could get you the seal of biliteracy which would increase chances and provide career opportunities later. I would choose anatomy because that is the one you would enjoy more. Good luck!