Chinese major... How risky?

My son would like to major in Chinese(second choice is electrical engineering). Would this choice limit his chances of getting into the academy? I realize it's an engineering school but I've heard that they are starting to look more favorably upon language majors. Any thoughts?

Not Really

Annette said:

My son would like to major in Chinese(second choice is electrical engineering). Would this choice limit his chances of getting into the academy? I realize it's an engineering school but I've heard that they are starting to look more favorably upon language majors. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

I don't think choice of major would limit any candidate's chances of being offered an appointment. Two reasons:

1. You don't get selected for a major until spring of plebe year. While a plebe can ask for any of the 21 majors, the academy will meet its goal of two-thirds math, science and engineering.

2. Since Chinese is relatively new, I would think that your candidate would be on of the few requesting it, and all of the majors are looking to have good folks.

I'm new to this whole process, so please forgive my ignorance. Are you saying they select your major for you? Or you get to request a major but are not guaranteed the selection?

You Ask, They Answer

Annette said:

I'm new to this whole process, so please forgive my ignorance. Are you saying they select your major for you? Or you get to request a major but are not guaranteed the selection?

Click to expand...

Yes. I believe (others, please correct me) that plebes submit a priorotized list of three majors. One of the top two is supposed to be Math, Science, Engineering, and the Academy (I'm not sure who) then makes sure that the selections, class-wide, fit the needs of the Navy and the desires of the Mids.

The Class of 2010 will graduate next year with Chinese majors. Our mid is Arabic and the other mid from her high school chose Chinese. Together they are preparing to serve as Officers fluent in their respective languages/cultures.

In order to be selected for these levels of language majors you have to jump through several hoops...among them 700+Math SAT scores, a score above 125 on the Defense Language Test, and validate at least a year of another foreign langague ( typically the one you had in high school.) During Plebe summer these tests are offered as part of their overall testing times - so if a Plebe has an interest in these languages, they simply put in to take these exams.

These are no easy courses. While they are technically considered "level 3" majors at USNA ( the 'top' level one being the Engineering ones) it is very interesting to watch the attitude of the MechE, EE and AeroE mids when they learn that a mid is an Arabic or Chinese major. They actually RESPECT the degree program as harder in some ways, to their rigorous engineering courses.

My mid has told me for 3 years now she can punch out all her math and science assignments but sweats for her Arabic classes.

And a Service Academy is probably the only US school that gives Bachelors in SCIENCE degrees for an Arabic major!

So if an applicant is interested in Chinese as a major or a minor - USNA does offer that option.

Thank you for the helpful information. He definitely does not have a 700+ on his math SAT. He does have a good class rank and is in his 4th year of HS Chinese. His teacher wants him to join the National Foreign Language Honor Society, and he has been offered a Teacher Assistant position for his senior year. He tells everyone he wants to go to USNA, major in Chinese and become a Marine.

^^^ Very true. However the Academy is charged with making sure starting with the class of 2013, that USNA will ensure a minimum of 65% complete a technical degree program before receiving a Navy Commission. That will play into Appointments. A policy is already in effect for NROTC Scholarships

Effective for midshipmen entering fall 2009 as members of the Class of 2013, USNA will ensure a minimum of 65% complete a technical degree program before receiving a Navy commission.

Major Policy at USNA
•CNP Policy applies to USN, not USMC.
•For past decade, about 63% of plebes chose technical majors and about 60% of each class graduated with technical majors.
•USNA goal is to increase plebe selection of technical majors to about 70% to assure USN goal of 65% at graduation.

Major Policy at NROTC
•The Navy’s goal of increasing the mathematics, science and engineering knowledge and skills of its officer corps applies to NROTC Navy Option programs--not just USNA.
•Henceforth, NROTC scholarships will be available on a priority basis to those who select and remain in STEM majors.

Major Policy at USNA
•The Superintendent has stated that, for the Class of 2012, a midshipman’s major will be considered at the time of service assignment. Details have not yet been formulated.

Remarks on major selection
•While it is expected that most midshipmen in the Class of 2012 will be assigned to their first choices of major, the needs of the Naval Service and the resources of this institution are paramount.
•Each plebe will be required to include at least one STEM major among his/her top two choices.
http://www.usna.edu/AcDean/talks/talks.html Class of 2012 majors Brief page 32 to 36 of 60

Click to expand...

peskemom said:

and validate at least a year of another foreign langague ( typically the one you had in high school.)

Click to expand...

Do you mean a language other than Chinese or Arabic?

I wonder if my son knows about this option, he's definitely more interested in humanities majors and the math qualification wouldn't be a problem.

Yes you need to take the validation test in some language, goes towards language proficiency. I believe they offer validation tests for Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Russian. He may need to inquire about Chinese if that is what he has been studying in HS.

I don't know the exact numbers but I think there are fewer than one hundred in the Chinese major. That would mean less than 2.5% of Brigade.

For the Class of 2010 they started with 24 Arabic majors and are down to 8 full Arabic majors and a few more minors. I would bet these are comparable for Chinese. This stuff is tough work and requires alot of study ontop of everything else thrown at our amazing mids. I frankly am wondrous at what these next generation of American patriots can do!

Language Validation testing

My son is fluent in German so would he take this above exam and then have the option of majoring /minoring in it, or just arabic/chinese? Languages do seem to come easy for him....Thanks

For the non critical languages: Spanish, French, German, Japanese and maybe Russian (it may be listed as critical) You just take the validation test, and then continue in your language to get the minor. No majors are available in the noncritical languages. You may also do as my son did, start another one language even though he validated many semesters of Spanish. As long as you make it through the 400 level courses you will receive a minor - means language class ever semester if you start new. Also to do so, you will putting off some core courses Plebe year - typically PolySci, English or Western Civ and you will have to make up later in your studies. If you are fortunate to validate some of those it will help make fitting a new language into your matrix.

If you continue on in a language you have studied, you can fit the required classes to receive the minor in later in your matrix as long as you have validated some of the semesters.