Foreign Language Decision

[aspriringdr]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on SDN so I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this.
I'm currently a pre-med freshman and am about to register for next year classes. I need to take foreign language classes to a certain level and am unsure of what to do. I have taken 5 years of Spanish in HS and can read and understand it fairly well, but my speaking is lacking. I took Spanish off this year after dropping out of the highest level course this semester because it was too difficult (and now I have forgotten a lot about the language). I'm planning on getting this language requirement done over the summer but I'm not sure if I should go down a level in Spanish and subsequently take 2 semesters of it, or switch to 2 semesters of a different intro language which would be easier. Both would cost the same, take the same amount of time, but be different in terms of difficulty. Should I continue learning Spanish so that I know more about 1 language, or switch to intro ASL or Italian and only know a little about 2 different languages? I would love ANY feedback on this, I'm stuck! Thanks!

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[Catalystik]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on SDN so I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this.
I'm currently a pre-med freshman and am about to register for next year classes. I need to take foreign language classes to a certain level and am unsure of what to do. I have taken 5 years of Spanish in HS and can read and understand it fairly well, but my speaking is lacking. I took Spanish off this year after dropping out of the highest level course this semester because it was too difficult (and now I have forgotten a lot about the language). I'm planning on getting this language requirement done over the summer but I'm not sure if I should go down a level in Spanish and subsequently take 2 semesters of it, or switch to 2 semesters of a different intro language which would be easier. Both would cost the same, take the same amount of time, but be different in terms of difficulty. Should I continue learning Spanish so that I know more about 1 language, or switch to intro ASL or Italian and only know a little about 2 different languages? I would love ANY feedback on this, I'm stuck! Thanks!

Is it possible your school would give you a placement test in Spanish so you could step back to the appropriate level? It would be ideal if you could gain fluency to add to your literacy in this language.

 

[aspriringdr]

Is it possible your school would give you a placement test in Spanish so you could step back to the appropriate level? It would be ideal if you could gain fluency to add to your literacy in this language.

Yeah they offer one which I took last summer and got placed into the highest class (the last class I would have to take for my major/college), but when I went into it I could tell I was not well prepared for it so I dropped. I think the class level under it should be ok, but I would still have to end up taking the one I dropped.

 

[strider144]

If you have Spanish skills, you will use them all the time. Start one class earlier in the progression and keep going with the Spanish!

 

[gyngyn]

Yeah they offer one which I took last summer and got placed into the highest class (the last class I would have to take for my major/college), but when I went into it I could tell I was not well prepared for it so I dropped. I think the class level under it should be ok, but I would still have to end up taking the one I dropped.

Make an appointment with your student affairs dean to explain why you (and future patients) would benefit from the lower class.

 

[3toedsloth]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on SDN so I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this.
I'm currently a pre-med freshman and am about to register for next year classes. I need to take foreign language classes to a certain level and am unsure of what to do. I have taken 5 years of Spanish in HS and can read and understand it fairly well, but my speaking is lacking. I took Spanish off this year after dropping out of the highest level course this semester because it was too difficult (and now I have forgotten a lot about the language). I'm planning on getting this language requirement done over the summer but I'm not sure if I should go down a level in Spanish and subsequently take 2 semesters of it, or switch to 2 semesters of a different intro language which would be easier. Both would cost the same, take the same amount of time, but be different in terms of difficulty. Should I continue learning Spanish so that I know more about 1 language, or switch to intro ASL or Italian and only know a little about 2 different languages? I would love ANY feedback on this, I'm stuck! Thanks!

Italian is not a good option. You know a little spanish, and Italian is quite similar, so you're likely to confuse the two.

It will be easier (and more useful) to take spanish. I suggest taking the lower level one... it will boost your gpa and allow you to get a refresher on the language.

 

[aldol16]

Which would YOU rather do? If you want to learn more Spanish, go for it. If there's a language you've always wanted to learn, do that. There will be few opportunities after college for you to learn language in such a structured setting so I would take advantage of it. But this is a personal choice for you.

 

[calivianya]

Go with the Spanish, and continue it past the bare minimum of what you need - there are schools that will look on that very favorably, especially in areas with large Spanish-speaking populations.

One of the biggest annoyances/inconveniences ever in dealing with patients is tracking down an interpreter. I would legit rather deal with people who are screaming and throwing things at me than people who don't speak English, but are very sweet, just because of how difficult it is to communicate with them if you don't speak their language.

People that know Italian are very likely to also know English; the same is not true of people who speak Spanish. You will save yourself a world of aggravation if you can just talk to the patients yourself. I wish I'd learned Spanish just for this reason.