Schedule + Classes

attacklax17

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Oct 21, 2009
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Is there any effect on taking only up to spanish 3, instead of 4 or more, due to the fact I have harder math/science/history/english classes and my schedule doesn't really allow me to take beyond spanish 3? Thanks
 
Why do you think the academy would care about that, and if the answer was something like "Yes, major effect, you'll look really bad if you didn't take the fourth year of a language" what would you do then? Are you going to overload yourself or drop a class you like better just to do what you think the academy likes?

Sorry, if that came off jerky sounding. Just relax, take the classes you want to take that you also think would be helpful. I doubt taking up to three years of a language would have any make-or-break kind of effect. Plus, three years is already really good. Few people I know opt to take the fourth year.
 
This very same topic has been well discussed elsewhere in the USNA forum.
 
Is there any effect on taking only up to spanish 3, instead of 4 or more, due to the fact I have harder math/science/history/english classes and my schedule doesn't really allow me to take beyond spanish 3? Thanks

It depends on part on what you're taking instead. The mere fact you're not taking a 4th yr of language isn't an issue. If you take sociology instead . . .
 
It depends on part on what you're taking instead. The mere fact you're not taking a 4th yr of language isn't an issue. If you take sociology instead . . .

Here's the thing with me not being able to take 3rd year (senior year) of Spanish...I'll be taking AP Econ, which due to school reqs and AP classes taking, it will take up a semester of elective spot, thus, with me also doing JROTC, will only leave me with one semester elective spot open, so I can't take Spanish 3, which would be year long...as for what I would do that semester, am thinking of either taking Contemporary Issues, in which you discuss and debate current issues in society, or taking Gifted Directed Study, which is basically an independent research class where you can study a topic of your choice and make a project and presentation about it for final. Any input as to "replacing class" options I have?
 
I'd say try the independent one. My school doesn't have a lot of people doing it, so I can't offer any input. However, if you can do a really strong topic, get good sources from actual interviews, and finish with a strong presentation for the board, teachers, family.. I'd say that would be good. It shows you can do independent research and guide yourself through a class.
 
Couple possibilities - could you self study the semester of Spanish and still have Spanish 3 on your transcript for the other semester? My son skipped Spanish 4 this year and just did the work on his own - mostly just a few tenses and a bunch of vocab.

If not, I don't think it's essential. The academies like to see language, but they really are looking for mastery, which you're not going to get by taking Spanish 3. I really don't think this will be at all a deal breaker, unless of course you plan to major in Spanish there!

Of the two classes you mentioned, as long as they're both credit and show up on your transcript, I think you could make a case for either. If you do a serious job on the gifted study, it would be something you could talk about in your interviews, and you could probably even pull some leadership into it somehow (ie research and then apply the research). Contemporary issues will just help you more with knowing what's going on in the world, which will again help you in interviews (and possibly even giving you some input on what you want to do in life, which academy, etc.).

As long as you're sticking with the math and science courses (and hopefully LA and SS), you really can't go wrong with any of these if you truly get something out of them (ie if you know that Contemp issues is a total "fluff" class in which all they do is watch videos or something - you know the type of class I mean - then maybe go with a different option).
 
Couple possibilities - could you self study the semester of Spanish and still have Spanish 3 on your transcript for the other semester? My son skipped Spanish 4 this year and just did the work on his own - mostly just a few tenses and a bunch of vocab.

If not, I don't think it's essential. The academies like to see language, but they really are looking for mastery, which you're not going to get by taking Spanish 3. I really don't think this will be at all a deal breaker, unless of course you plan to major in Spanish there!

Of the two classes you mentioned, as long as they're both credit and show up on your transcript, I think you could make a case for either. If you do a serious job on the gifted study, it would be something you could talk about in your interviews, and you could probably even pull some leadership into it somehow (ie research and then apply the research). Contemporary issues will just help you more with knowing what's going on in the world, which will again help you in interviews (and possibly even giving you some input on what you want to do in life, which academy, etc.).

As long as you're sticking with the math and science courses (and hopefully LA and SS), you really can't go wrong with any of these if you truly get something out of them (ie if you know that Contemp issues is a total "fluff" class in which all they do is watch videos or something - you know the type of class I mean - then maybe go with a different option).

I asked if I could self-study the Span 2 or could test into Span 3 and they said no, the only way to skip would be to take it over the summer, which is not possible because will be attending many summer camps, etc.

Will check into if Cont. Issues a "fluff" class, but know directed study class isn't.
 
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