"Fluent" in another language?

[mocha13]

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Hey everyone!

I completed TMDSAS and Baylor Supplemental few days ago, and I was recently wondering if I should have put down that I speak Spanish "fluently." What's the standard of being "fluent"? I took Spanish1 - AP Spanish in high school, and I took minor equivalent of Spanish classes in college. In dental clinic that I shadowed, there was no one who spoke Spanish well-- I know, surprising!-- so I translated between the patient and the dentist, though my translation wasn't that fluent. I talked about the experience in my main essay. My grammar and writing are pretty good, and I get compliments from some native Spanish speakers for being able to carry on some conversations-- since I am an Asian, they do not expect me to speak Spanish 🙂-- but I am by no means "confident" to say I am "fluent" in Spanish. But still... should I update on my applications that I am "fluent" in Spanish? Well, English was my second language, and Spanish would be my third language. I'd love to hear your comments on defining "fluency" of the foreign language. Thanks yall!

 

[UCLAzy]

if you can do your dschool interview in spanish you're fluent

 

[punchdrunk7]

Hey everyone!

though my translation wasn't that fluent. I

but I am by no means "confident" to say I am "fluent" in Spanish

I think you answered your own question in your initial post. I only put that I was fluent in Portuguese because I lived there for a few years, and am able to talk about any subject. To play it safe I would not put something on your application that you are not 100% certain of. Just my opinion, good luck!

 

[Odontos2015]

One of my interviewers spoke to me in Spanish when he found out I was fluent. Make sure you can live up to your application.

 

[pk62281]

This post worries me a bit. I've lived in Japan for 8 months and work at a japanese company. I am able to converse with native Japanese speakers, and have done so, but not anything complicated (like politics). Usually work related stuff. However, I would definitely not be able to do an interview in Japanese. I'm an engineer, and have worked with the japanese. I can say things like.. "this evaluation is no good, can you redo it?"

I've already submitted my app with japanese as a language. If I could do it again, I would've left it off.

Any suggestions on how I should deal with this? I don't want to bomb an interview and have a school question the legitimacy of my whole application if they found out my japanese is not fluent. I guess I can leave it off the secondaries if they ask.

 

[MrJingles]

'Dental students interact with patients from many backgrounds. Other than English, indicate any language in which you feel comfortable conversing with native speakers'

That is exactly what is written next to that section on the application. I think if you feel comfortable talking with native speakers, you should add that to your application. They don't mention anything about being fluent.

 

[BizzyV]

If ya gotta ask, no. Nightmare scenario- you get a Spanish speaker interviewer. If you'd be toast, don't put it down.