Will I be immediately rejected if I have 1 year in high school of a foreign language?Answered
I only have 1 year of a foreign language in high school (Spanish 4 in 9th grade), but I did Spanish 1, 2, and 3 in 6, 7, and 8th grade of middle school. In my school district Spanish 3 in 8th grade was weighted and included in my weighted GPA but not standard GPA. Additionally I speak Chinese at home and took the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam in 9th grade and got a 5. I barely got an A final grade for Spanish 4 and I don't think I will be able to get an A in Spanish 5. Do I still need to take Spanish even though it might lower my GPA or should I switch to another language or choose another non-language elective? I'm planning to apply to some top colleges and other highly ranked ones.
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The number of years of foreign language study required depends on the college, not the state, though many colleges recommend 2–3 years of the same language, and highly selective schools often prefer 3–4 years. While continuing Spanish could demonstrate consistency, if it risks negatively impacting your GPA, it may be smarter to switch to a different elective — especially if you’ve already met or exceeded language expectations through prior coursework or proficiency exams.
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Highly competitive colleges mainly do not look at the number of years in a classroom; they look at depth and mastery. Your AP Chinese Language and Culture exam shows a clear and strong indicator of your language skills. Your Spanish courses in middle school may not be on your high school transcript unless they were taken for high school credit. I do not think you should take Spanish 5 if it is a major struggle for you and risk your GPA.