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Policies and Standards

The department strongly recommends that a student take 2 consecutive years of the same foreign language for unconditional college acceptance. We encourage students to broaden their knowledge of a foreign language by studying more than the minimal two years often required by colleges and universities. Please check with the institution of your choice for their specific admission policies.

For continuation to the second level of a foreign language course, the department requires a C semester average. This will provide a firm foundation for continuance to a more demanding level two language course. If a student does not have a C semester average, he or she may choose from the following options:

1. Choose another language to study, beginning at the first level: French, Italian, or Spanish. Due to the difficulty of Latin, we do not suggest this language as an alternative.

2. If the student would like to continue on with a level two language class, we strongly suggest outside tutoring over the summer to prepare for the advanced difficulty of the second year. It is extremely important to have a solid foundation of the language's fundamentals before pursuing more advanced concepts. If this option is pursued, a waiver form must be signed, acknowledging the choice to oppose the department's recommendation.

3. A final option is to discontinue language study. However, please keep in mind that many colleges require at least two years of study of the same foreign language for acceptance. We realize that colleges and universities recommend two years of the same foreign language for unconditional admission. Therefore, your child may want to discuss these options with their school counselor.

To be eligible for placement into an Honors level foreign language course, a student must have an A semester average or above.

All incoming Freshmen's test scores and grades are reviewed by the department chairperson who will recommend if each student should enroll in a first year language course during his or her Freshman year. This is simply a recommendation for the best possible academic success of each student, and we as a department suggest this to facilitate the transition into high school for some students with weaker tests scores and/or grades.

The department offers foreign language placement exams (consisting of a written exam and an oral interview in the target language) for all incoming freshmen and transfer students to test the student's ability in and prior exposure to a foreign language. We strive to place each student in the course that is best for that individual's academic progress and success.

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