Latin doesn't count as a foreign lanq for high school??

[rockala]

have you heard this? We are at the local HS convention and a friend said yesterday that in a Jay Wile workshop on High school he said that latin is not a speaking lanquage and thus does not count as a foreign lang. I didn't hear it myself but was under the impression that latin does indeed count as a foreign lanquage.

 

Anybody know for sure?

 

Thanks,

Kathy

[Pamela H in Texas]

I took Latin in high school. It most certainly counted as a foreign language at school and for college. American Sign Language usually doesn't.

 

I would just check with the colleges of interest, but I'm pretty sure it's not an issue.

[MyThreeSons]

that most colleges won't consider either Latin or ASL as fulfilling the Foreign Language requirment, but when I googled it just now, I'm not finding that those limitations are spelled out anywhere.

 

I do know that many colleges want to see 3 years of a single foreign language -- dabbling doesn't work.

[Plaid Dad]

Almost all U.S. colleges accept Latin as a foreign language. A few specify a modern (spoken) language; I know a few military schools want this. When in doubt, check with the colleges your students are interested in, as requirements vary.

[Staci in MO]

But like Plaid Dad said, I think it's the exception, rather than the rule. I took Latin in high school and it wasn't a problem at any of the colleges I applied to. Granted, that was twenty years ago. :glare:

[Gwen in VA]

I think some folks may be getting two different requirements confused --

 

1) Admissions requirements. Most colleges want three years of the SAME language. Almost any language will do -- dd1 did Latin; ds1 did Greek. I have heard that the service academies require a modern language, but those are the only colleges that I have heard which specifically require a modern foreign language IN HIGH SCHOOL.

 

2) College graduation requirements. Some colleges do require a modern foreign language for graduation from college. I know that the engineering school I went to in the 80's accepted dh's high school Latin for admissions, but dh then had to take two semesters of a modern language in order to actually graduate.

 

Talk with the colleges your child is interested in, but do remember that ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS and COLLEGE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS are two totally different animals.

[SonshineLearner]

For our local public highschool, Latin isn't something that they are use to taking as credit. They are checking into it. BUT, at our local highschool, a foreign language is no longer required.

Carrie

[momto4greatkids]

We just checked into the Air Force Academy, and it appears they require 2 years of foreign language, but Latin doesn't count. I was shocked. I haven't told my son this yet. I'm hoping that once he finished his second year of Latin next year(EcceRomani), we will be well-equipped to study another foreign language if he is still interested in pursuing USAFA.

[Janet in WA]

It was our experience that some colleges (not all) stipulated that the language that was studied during high school be a modern, spoken one (i.e. not Latin or ASL). It seemed that the colleges whose degrees required study of a modern foreign language were the most likely to have this requirement.

 

However, in recent years, it has also been our experience that some of those same colleges have relaxed that requirement to accept ASL and/or Latin. If my student were studying Latin rather than a modern, spoken language, I would do some research into the admissions requirements of colleges he might possibly want to attend, and based on what I found, I might add a modern language to his high school studies.

[K-FL]

 

2) College graduation requirements. Some colleges do require a modern foreign language for graduation from college. I know that the engineering school I went to in the 80's accepted dh's high school Latin for admissions, but dh then had to take two semesters of a modern language in order to actually graduate.

 

 

 

FYI--My niece had 4 yrs of hs Spanish & is still required to take 2 semesters of foreign language or social studies. (She's @ U. of AL--Birmingham.) Even if you have the modern language for admissions, it doesn't change the graduation requirement.