What language should i take

College admissions officers do not view certain languages as harder or more impressive than others because all foreign languages require time and dedication to learn and all provide benefits. This is great news because it means you can choose which language to study based on your interests! The only exception to this would be if you chose to study a language you already learned while growing up. Some colleges ask for your native language s in their applications and seeing you take classes for a language you already know won't impress them.

Colleges look for depth of foreign language study, not breadth, so they want to see that you've studied one language for several years. Studying one language for three or four years is much more difficult than taking introductory classes in several different languages, and it also shows that you have the ability to build off previous knowledge and stick with a subject.

Many colleges require applicants to have completed two or three years of foreign language study , and most top schools highly recommend or require four years. The average high school student completes two years of foreign language study, but even if that is all that is required by the colleges you are interested in, studying a foreign language longer is always better and will make your application stronger.

Most students in the US begin their foreign language study at least by middle school, so if you took Mandarin in 8th grade and want to switch to Spanish next year, high schools usually allow that, and it won't negatively impact your college applications as long as you stick with the new language throughout high school.

The best things you can do to make your foreign language study a strength on your college applications are to stick to one language, take a course in that language each year, and get good grades in those courses. Choose one foreign language and stick with it throughout high school. Image via Valencia College. Choosing a subject to study for four years while getting good grades requires a lot of time and dedication. Studying a foreign language is different from other subjects because people get frustrated and want to stop not because the material is too difficult after all toddlers in other countries are learning it , but because learning another language can often feel boring, tedious, and never-ending.

There will come a time probably many, many times while studying a foreign language when you become frustrated and want to quit. Simply knowing yet another verb tense or vocabulary word will not always be enough to keep you motivated. You'll need a bigger reason to keep wanting to learn. Here are two ways to stay motivated:. When I was in high school, I made the decision to study French because I wanted to do international development work in Africa.

Since France used to rule several African countries, millions of Africans speak French, and I knew that if I could speak French too, that might help me get a job. For some career fields, knowing a certain language can make you more employable or better at your job , and reminding yourself that your language skills could help with your future job search can provide an incentive to keep learning a foreign language.

This doesn't have to be a specific job; a broad career field is fine. Are you interested in business? Do you think you might want to study medicine? Below are five of the most popular foreign languages high school students study and some of the fields those languages are most used in. See if any of them match the type of job you'd like to have. Having a future career in mind can help you choose which language to study.

Because Spanish is spoken so widely in the United States, it is useful for many professions. It's particularly valuable for students planning to work in medicine or social work so they can assist people who cannot speak English but may need immediate help , people interested in doing service work in Central or South America, and those considering customer service jobs.

High school Spanish is a solid choice that many students take - you generally can't go wrong with this. Because many international organizations use French, it is most valuable for students planning careers in diplomacy or international relations, as well as those who would like to work in or with Africa. Also, because Africa's economy has the potential to boom in the near future, French can be useful for business students looking to capitalize on the continent's growth.

With China continuing its huge economic growth, many US businesses have operations in the country and are working with Chinese corporations, making Mandarin useful for students planning to study business. Unlike the other languages in this list, Chinese is not written with the Roman alphabet, so it's an interesting challenge to learn as an English speaker.

Germany has one of the world's largest economies, and the country is also a leader in scientific and technological innovations. Learning German would be most valuable for those planning to study banking, science, engineering, and publishing. If you're interested in science, German may be a good language to consider studying. While there are no longer any native speakers of Latin, this language is still useful for those interested in careers in linguistics or students planning to learn multiple languages.

One of the many trips you have done, but this time is just feeling different. Erasmus , Culture , Education. These study tips have changed the way I study. I achieved my academic goals and had additional time to do what I truly enjoy. There are many different forms of exchanges, even within Europe. Categories: Erasmus , Travels , Culture Beyond Erasmus: International Exchanges - English Speaking Destinations Usually when one thinks of a university exchange, the thing that comes to mind is European countries and foreign languages.

Categories: Erasmus , Travels , Culture Why Bologna is the perfect Italian Erasmus destination Bologna is renowned as the student city of Italy making it the perfect Italian Erasmus destination with its foundations of intellectual prowess, political history, architectural impressiveness, and gastronomical excellence.

After all, a businessman who can converse in Chinese with trade partners will be more likely to have good relationships with those associates, and ultimately make better deals. Chinese literature and philosophy texts can also be dated back thousands of years. Knowing Mandarin will give students access to millennia-old pieces of writing. And while learning Mandarin is no simple feat, it is a skill highly prized by employers on a global scale.

German may not be one of the most common languages spoken in the United States, but it is the most widely spoken native language in Europe. One reason for this is that the German book market is the third largest worldwide, following the Chinese and English publishing industries.

Learning German will provide you with access to this literature, since many of these books are not translated into English. German ranks second as the most commonly used scientific language. If you are interested in studying new technologies firsthand, you should consider traveling to a country such as Germany.

Business students can also benefit from learning German, since Germany is the largest economy within the European Union and the fourth-largest economy in the world.

Are you interested in studying music in the language in which it was composed? German is great for that. Mozart, Bach and Beethoven all spoke German as their native language. Interested in philosophy? Kant and Nietzsche spoke German as well. By learning German, you can appreciate these works of art in their original form. Growing up, many students are told to take Spanish instead of French, since Spanish is spoken on a more global scale.

Knowing French can also provide you with more insight into the arts. For example, the Cannes Film Festival is one of the leading film festivals in the world.