A ONE Institute
Sep 11, 2024
Second Foreign Language
Today, I will be posting about Foreign Language, or second foreign languages. I have frequently emphasized that English, Math, Social Studies, and Humanities should be taken as challenging subjects. As a result, there may have been some neglect when it comes to Foreign Language or second foreign languages. I would like to discuss how you should approach Foreign Language.
Before going into details, let’s quickly review the foreign language requirements at some universities:
Harvard University
Recommends studying one language for four years.
Stanford University
States that it is beneficial to study a second foreign language for three or more years.
MIT
Requires two years of Foreign Language study.
Princeton University
Recommends studying one language for four years.
Yale University
Although not mandatory, they recommend studying a foreign language every year.
Duke University
Suggests studying a second foreign language for more than three years.
Brown University
Recommends studying a foreign language for 3-4 years.
Johns Hopkins University
Though not required, recommends studying a second foreign language for four years.
Northwestern University
Recommends at least two years of foreign language study.
Cornell University
Varies by school, but for the College of Arts and Science, it is recommended to take more than three semesters of one foreign language.
The University of Chicago
Recommends studying a foreign language for 2-3 years.
Dartmouth College
Recommends studying one foreign language for three years.
As you can see from the universities above, many of them mention Foreign Language. If you thought foreign languages were less important, they wouldn’t have been mentioned on the official websites of these universities, but that’s not the case.
The fact that many universities include foreign language requirements implies that they place importance on Foreign Language, meaning a foreign language other than English (and one’s second language).
If you look at the ruling when Harvard University’s Affirmative Action policy was overturned, you can see that Harvard places a significant emphasis on diversity. Diversity includes not only racial diversity but also diversity in academic interests, belief systems, political views, geographic origins, family circumstances, and racial identities. It shows that they value diversity from various perspectives.
From the standpoint of diversity, studying Foreign Language means you are not just learning the letters or language of a country, but also their culture. Learning a Foreign Language suggests that you understand the culture beyond just the language, which fosters inclusivity.
American universities are culturally diverse places where students from various backgrounds come together. As they pursue diversity, being open to diversity is highly valued in this society.
Here’s a tip: try connecting Foreign Language with volunteer activities.
Many volunteer activities involve teaching younger students. In many cases, economically disadvantaged students or students of the same nationality are often the target. For example, Korean students often volunteer for other Korean students. While the activity itself is meaningful, if you can show cultural inclusivity while investing the same amount of time, it will be more effective.
Rather than volunteering for students who share the same cultural background, like other Korean students, if you were to teach students from Hispanic, Arab, or Native American cultural backgrounds here in the U.S., you wouldn’t just be showing your teaching skills but also your ability to embrace diverse cultures.
When doing volunteer work, I encourage you to try targeting students from different cultural backgrounds. For instance, if a Korean student chooses Korean as their second foreign language, that’s fine in terms of the language itself. However, from the perspective of demonstrating inclusivity, it may be less effective. That’s why it is beneficial to study languages like French, Latin, or Spanish and connect your volunteer work to those languages, as it will also demonstrate cultural inclusivity.
Although it might be challenging, by choosing the language of a third culture and conducting related volunteer work, you will become a more competitive applicant. I will conclude today's post with this thought.
I also recommend visiting A-One Institute's Digital SAT platform at www.ett-test.com.
Today, I shared the language requirements from various universities and provided tips on studying foreign languages and volunteer work. I hope this was helpful, and if you have any questions, please contact A-One Institute.
Thank you.