Minor in Spanish?

[Shamrock20134]

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Planning on taking the CLEP Spanish exam which gives 12 credits if you perform well. 4 classes after that are needed to get the minor. Do admission committees weigh in on it or should I just not take the extra classes and say on my application I can speak Spanish.

 

[Stoptheclot]

I think it could vary wherever you apply to med school... I was in a similar position - AP'ed half my way to a minor, then wondered about the value of having a spanish minor. My premed advisor laughed and told me the only value of a premed having a minor is "to sound sexy." I guess its somewhat true because AdComs seem to put more emphasis on how you USE your Spanish... I took a semester abroad in Ecuador, volunteered in a health clinic there and wrote about it in my personal statement. I was asked about this study abroad experience in every single interview.

I still think the best advice I got was the question: Do you enjoy Spanish classes? Some of my favorite undergrad profs have been from my spanish classes. One of them wrote my non-science LoE, which was a huge plus too! So if there are other classes that are more challenging/interesting/fun, I'd pick those any day over "just getting" a minor. My 2 cents! Good luck!

EDIT: I completely failed to even mention... i DID get a Spanish minor (Bio major)

 

[Shamrock20134]

Thanks! The advice is useful. I think I'll not get the minor since the extra classes could hurt my GPA and I can focus on higher level science classes. My school has a great study abroad program so maybe I'll enter a program that requires second year level competency (from ap/clep) and study the medical system there over a summer. A letter of rec from a doctor in a foreign country sounds bold, but fresh.

 

[The Buff OP]

Planning on taking the CLEP Spanish exam which gives 12 credits if you perform well. 4 classes after that are needed to get the minor. Do admission committees weigh in on it or should I just not take the extra classes and say on my application I can speak Spanish.

Can you carry a conversation in Spanish?

 

[Shamrock20134]

Not easily. Mostly writing etc. The study abroad would probably be my best bet to hear the language by natives.

 

[The Buff OP]

Not easily. Mostly writing etc. The study abroad would probably be my best bet to hear the language by natives.

I say it would be best to know how to speak the language and yes being around people who speak Spanish is a good way to get corrected (or make fun of lol) and get use to speaking it. English is my second language, but when I apply I'm not going to say I have a minor or a bachelor's degree to prove I speak Spanish.

 

[gyngyn]

Improving your Spanish will dramatically increase your communication skills and add to your value on the health care team. Nobody cares if it was your minor, though.

 

[Jennyfishy]

A minor is mostly only relevant if you end up in teaching from what I've seen anyway - few of my HS teachers minored in English, Psychology, etc. and ended up teaching in those subjects. It's just extra bragging rights to show off to people and validate that you "know" Spanish enough to survive (although I've talked to several Spanish majors to practice my conversation and it's kind of funny seeing that they're able to graduate without being "fluent" or "very proficient" in the language..)

 

[The Buff OP]

A minor is mostly only relevant if you end up in teaching from what I've seen anyway - few of my HS teachers minored in English, Psychology, etc. and ended up teaching in those subjects. It's just extra bragging rights to show off to people and validate that you "know" Spanish enough to survive (although I've talked to several Spanish majors to practice my conversation and it's kind of funny seeing that they're able to graduate without being "fluent" or "very proficient" in the language..)

Tell me about it.