Foreign Language College and University Admission Requirements

I speak to rooms full of parents--living rooms conversations to packed convention halls--considering and navigating a home education journey for their middle and high school young adults. Most often we talk about specifics and how-tos. At some point in the presentation, usually during a Q&A session, I am asked to address specific admission requirements.

One of the most popular questions relates to foreign language.

Like most aspects of high school, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to the question.

The answer to the foreign language question—what is required for college or university admission—the inquirer must know that the answer varies per institution and sometimes per major.

For the sake of this blog post, to clarify, home educated in our state means enrolled in the Home Education Program with the county of residence. Those students are defined as home education students (homeschooling) and will apply to colleges as home educated, non-traditional, or non-accredited graduates. The terms used for the admission status varies college to college.

In our state if the student chooses to enroll in a private school (sometimes referred to as an umbrella school) as a place of record, that student is considered a private school student and will apply to colleges as a private school graduate. Some colleges and universities require private school students be enrolled in an accredited entity, by the state or by a regional accrediting agency. This is extremely important to note as not all accreditation is considered equal by some universities.

Some colleges and universities require foreign language for admission as well as for the General Education portion of the undergraduate degree. What parents and students don’t know is that sometimes (as in the case for some universities in our state), the high school foreign language credits which met the admission requirement will be credited to the Bachelor’s degree. Be sure to ask this question of the admission department or advisor.

University of Oklahoma states this on their website

“Foreign Language (2 courses, 6-10 hours). This requirement can be satisfied by successfully completing two semesters of the same foreign language at the college level equivalent to two semesters at OU. It also may be satisfied by successfully completing two years of the same foreign language in high school or by demonstrating an equivalent level of competence on an assessment test.”

— University of Oklahoma, August 2020

Don't assume.

• Read the contents of the university website and do research before connecting with the college. Ask what is needed, but don’t ask obvious questions which are answered on the site. Being knowledgeable shows interest and motivation.

• Some universities are hiring admissions counselors designated to serve home educated students. After reading online admission requirements, have the student make contact with the counselor. Advanced research and knowledge demonstrates interest and initiative.

“Pat Wesoloski has been homeschooling for more than 29 years and works at Bryan College to help homeschool families navigate the admissions process.”

— Bryan College

• A running list of questions may be helpful. Help your learner process what he or she may want to ask.

• Early research allows families to plan well. Gain the knowledge you need but don’t panic if your learner doesn’t quite know what he or she wants to study or where he or she wants to attend. There’s time to figure these things out.

• Not all college and universities accept all languages. Be sure to check if there are any exceptions or out-of-the-box recommendations or requirements.

• Though some colleges require only two years of foreign language, some require three or four. Be sure to investigate the requirements for any university of choice. If you found out late in the high school years that four years is required for admission, don’t panic. Home educated students have the time (and often the motivation to manage that time) to complete more than one year in a year.

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“At least 2 years—preferably 3—of a classical or modern language”

— Tulane University, August 2020

“Two consecutive years of a foreign language (American Sign Language recognized as a foreign language)
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— Stetson University, August 2020

“Vanderbilt does not prescribe a specific distribution of high school coursework requirements, but most competitive applicants will have completed four full years of coursework in the five core academic areas of English, math, social studies, science (3 lab sciences), and foreign language.”

— Vanderbilt University, August 2020

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Locating specific course requirements for admission can take time. This is why I add or update links to this page as I find them. If your student's college of interest is not listed below, try typing "foreign language" or “high school course requirements” in the search box of the college website.

Direct links to foreign language requirements are offered below.. Be sure to continue research and stay up-to-date based on the unique needs of your high school learner. Check back as I update this post.

Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA

Amherst College, Amherst, MA

Appalachian State, Boone, NC

Arizona State University, Phoenix Area, AZ

Berry College, Mount Berry, GA

Bellhaven University, Jackson, MS

Bentley University, Waltham, MA

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Central Methodist, Fayette, MO

Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Emory-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL (click on Academic Core Units and Homeschool/Non-traditional)

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL (click Units tab for specific courses)

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Florida International University, Miami, FL

Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH

Furman University, Greenville, SC

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC

Guilford College, Greensboro, NC

Harvard College, Cambridge, MA

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Mercer University, Macon, GA

Messiah College, Grantham, PA

Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC

Montreat College, Montreat, NC

Northeastern University, Portsmith, NH

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Ohio University, Athens, OH

Olgethorpe University, Atlanta, GA

Patrick Henry College, Purcellville, VA

Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, FL

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Reed College, Portland, OR

Rice University, Houston, TX

SMU- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA

St. Johns College, Annapolis MD and Santa Fe, NM

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Stetson University, Deland, FL

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

University of RIchmond, Richmond, VA

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL

Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 

Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

Yale University

• thoughts on admissions at Yale

You can Celebrate High School and it can encompass More than Credits!

Degrees, Foreign Languages, and Life Lessons

I love learning new information. And, I am intentional about sharing that information with parents so they can be empowered and help their learners move closer toward the best, well-informed decisions about their future.

Yesterday I called a college in the State of Florida to get some answers. In the process of talking with an advisor in the Bachelor's Degree office, I learned some new tidbits about degrees and foreign language. The information below relates to all students, unless specifically mentioned as pertaining to homeschooled graduates. 

1. The AS degree is considered a terminal degree. The goal is to provide the graduate with enough career specific content and skills to enter the workforce without continued education.

2. The State of Florida requires 36 General Education semester hours for the AA and BA, but not for the AS. If the student obtains an AS degree and then decides to transfer to another college to earn a BA or BS degree, additional General Education hours may have to be taken in addition to the degree requirements. 

3. The General Education credits required for the AS are reduced in order to make room for career specific content. For example, the AS degree our family is researching requires only one semester of English (as opposed to two) and no foreign language coursework. In addition, College Algebra is not required for the AS of our interest (check the AS of interest as this may vary per career field). 

4. Foreign language is required for AA and Bachelor's degrees in Florida. However, we were personally told by the Office for Students with Disabilities at Valencia this requirement may be waived by an appeal process IF the student with documented disabilities enrolls in a course, demonstrates disability, and successfully wins an appeal for course substitution. When I asked the representative at the college I contacted yesterday about whether an AA appeal would stand should the AA graduate then transfer to a four-year university to continue post-secondary study toward a BS or BA, the advisor said the decision would rest with the institution conferring the bachelor's. At her college, the student would be required to take the foreign language before being awarded the BS or BA.  In other words, the foreign language though waived for the AA, would have to be taken later at the college or university granting the BS or BA. For students with diagnosed learning differences, this question would need to be posed to the Office of Student Disabilities at the college or university granting the BS or BA. This is one of those decisions which could be college specific. (Updated 11-3-2018: Read Florida State University’s policy here).

5. While I had the advisor on the phone, I asked questions about foreign language as this is always a debated topic in homeschooling circles and I want to stay current. How universities handle foreign language varies per institution and policies can change. Therefore, I specifically asked if they accepted high school foreign language credit to waive the college language requirement for the AA. She hesitated and responded, "It depends." I then specifically asked whether two years of foreign language with FLVS would be used to satisfy the college requirement and she said yes without hesitation (which has been our experience with two other home ed grads). All other methods of learning foreign language would be evaluated by the institution. Once transferring with the AA to the institution granting the BS or BA, the high school transcript would re-evaluated, specifically determining where the foreign language was taken. If this could not be validated to their satisfaction, the student would have to take the foreign language before earning the BS or BA, even though the student earned the AA. We personally experienced this with one of our learners. Valencia verified the language was taken in high school (we used FLVS) for the AA requirement and when our son transferred to UCF to move toward the BA, they contacted us and verified our two years of FLVS.  

At the end of the phone conversation, I had several takeaways. The most important takeaway reinforced what I knew: 

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High school foreign language decisions follow our learners through the college years. 

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Seems weighty. It does to me anyway (and I've graduated three with another two close behind; they are all different). However, this statement doesn't have to keep me fearful that we (parent and young adult) will make wrong decisions. Instead, the information can empower us. With what we know information can be discuss, options can be considered, questions can be asked, and we can weigh future implications to make the best decisions we can at any given time, for each learner. This statement also reminds us that in our temporary inconveniences (not liking an instructor or a delivery method) we must consider long-term consequences (not completing a course may affect us later). 

That's a life lesson which reaches beyond degrees and foreign languages.

It's real-life learning! 

Looking for more information about foreign languages? Consider these blog posts. 

Foreign Language: Questions You Need to Ask

Foreign Language: What Homeschoolers Need to Know

Foreign Language: Which Language

Dual Enrollment? Not So Fast

College Admission Requirements for Home Educated Students

As stated in this post, information changes—sometimes rapidly. Here are some links to updates you may find helpful (updated 11-3-2018).

Florida State University’s 2018-2019 Foreign Language Policy for their College of Arts and Sciences

University of Central Florida Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement (Bachelor of Arts Degree)

University of North Florida’s 2018-2019 Foreign Language Requirement for Bachelor of Arts Degree

University of Florida College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements and CLAS Foreign Language Requirement

Foreign Language in High School: Which Language?

In part I of this series we discussed what homeschoolers need to know about foreign language. 

In part II I offered common questions homeschoolers may need to ask. 

In this final part of the series, I will offer insights on how to determine what language to pursue. Again, understand all young adult's, their calling, and their career goals are unique. Not all of these tips will apply to every student and there are likely some you will uncover as you research and walk the journey with your young adult. 

Why do some colleges require more than one year of language? This is a great question! Highly-selective schools will require or recommend more years of language for their applicants. Part of the reason colleges seek more than one year of a foreign language is an understanding that the first year of foreign language is foundational, introductory work. The second, third, and fourth years generally dig deep into advanced conversation, writing, and even analysis. Of course, there are always exceptions to this thought. 

Can the student switch language course of study? Most colleges want two, three, or even four years of language study, often in the same language. Sometimes, however, students will complete one year of one language and then switch to another language. This is usually acceptable IF the student then continues at least two consecutive years (some college prefer three) in the same language. Again, this is an area which is often university specific, so ask questions as early as possible. 

Do colleges have a preference as to what languages are taken? In our experiences, most colleges have no requirements as to which languages they prefer students take. Again, there may be a rare situation out there somewhere, so do your homework! 

Are there expectations as to content of foreign language courses? Colleges know languages are hard. That is part of the reason they require language study. Colleges also expect comprehensive course content. 

What are some factors which could be considered as a student decides which language to pursue? Students who know what career field they want to enter should consider a language which would be beneficial to their future. For example, a student who wants to teach English in a Germany may consider taking a few years of German language. Foreign language is particularly  beneficial to students who plan to work in international banking, law, telecommunications, travel, government, to name a few. With more an more careers spanning the global market, language could be a definite asset. Other common factors in determining which languages students may pursue are future travel plans, family heritage, or personal interest. 

If a student is considering several languages and trying to determine which might be the best choice, consider visiting ethnic restaurants, borrowing foreign language how-to courses from the library, or spending time with people who speak the languages of interest. Or, travel either for pleasure or missions. Being immersed in a language may help with the decision of which language to pursue. 

As the student is choosing which language to study, he or she may need to be reminded that study may become (and often does become) difficult. Learning a language can be hard. In the challenging times, we have had to remind our young adults of the bigger picture. The bigger picture, the goal, often helped our students hurdle temporary difficulties. 

I hope this series has been helpful to you and offered some points to consider as you help your young adult successfully navigate the foreign language trek. 

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children.