Why do people have to take language class and other activities to go to college?

Question

they say it looks good on your college aplication.
so why do you have to take 2 yrs of foreign and do other activities in school such as clubs to get in college?
like some people have straight a's but when they apply for college they get rejected because they wasn't in a club or do sports.
why is it like that?

Answer 1

Your picked an interesting icon. It seems like you are upset about the admission requirements.

There are three parts of your question: Foreign language requirement, extracurricular activites, and all A's but not being accepted.

Some all As' students got rejected by colleges because lacking of other credentials required by admission. Extracurricular activites is one, but it is the last one colleges will consider and it can not be the only reasons of the denial. Students getting A in lowest level level of course is not as a good candidate as students getting A in higher level courses; students getting A in higher level course at low ranked school is not as appealing than students studied at higher profile of school. Colleges always consider students academic performance at high school first, then anything else come after.

Extracurricular acitivities is important for colleges to have a sense of students' leadership and even time management skills. If you can look at extracurricular activities in a broader spectrum, you will find work experience, volunteer work, community services, job shadowing, internships are included. College like to see an young adult who acquire study skills and living skills; in addition, colleges like to have more independent thinker as possible. I believe most students do have all above skills without recognition. See your counselor, he/she can help you to recognize your good quality that colleges are looking for.

Foreign laugage. May I ask a question? Will you take foreign language course if foreign language is not admission requirement? When we were little, we repeated sounds we heard; when we older, we, at least I, whistle back to birds when they sing. Language is sound; however, sound does not entail meaning. The hard part of learning language is memorizing the meaing of sound. There are strategies to coorelate the meaning and sound. It is not easy task, but it makes sounds sound reasonable. Two years of foreign language course will not teach you too much sound or help you to utilize the language. The essence behind the foreign language course is "appreciation of culture and respect for differences" embeded in the curriculum. For any reason you dislike foreign language course, you better be careful of selecting colleges. Some college has foreign language as the graduation requirement. In this case, students need to proove they have acquired the level of foreign language the college look sfor or they have to take foreign language at college level, which is much harder.

Answer 2

Colleges and universities want their students to be whole. That means thinking about their world outside of the neighborhood and the home. Foreign languages are challenging to most people, and require a lot of rote learning rather than intuitive thinking like math or logic. A student isn't rejected when he is not accepted to a college, he is self selected to find a better fit for his needs. Look at community colleges to prepare for big time universities - the first two years are pretty much the same everywhere - General Education requirements.

Answer 3

Colleges look for well-rounded students. Honestly, I think it's because if you are incredible at everything then you have a better chance at succeeding at something. This gives a higher possibility that you will succeed at life, and colleges will use your name to gain more publicity and more funding from alumni or parents of future students. It is all just one big conspiracy, yet I'm proud to be apart of it. Sickening, huh?

Answer 4

A little tip: being really good at math can convince them to waive that foreign language requirement.

Answer 5

^ she's right. colleges prefer kids who have a variety of interests and talents over kids who sit at home and study all day.