DDuino Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 hey guys...i would like to ask you something from your experience...does an ab initio language look that bad if applying let's say to oxford or UCL?i dont know that language and i start to learn it from scratch...is it seen as an easy option to the big unis?thanks Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbangfan Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hmm, I'd align myself with a YES, altough I'm not too informed about the matter. Languages are barely easy for most people and are the ones in which they score the most points. I personally would take a language B with no previous experience. In fact, there are only several nuances between languages B and ab initio. I'd recommend that you go for language B at standard level and see how you handle it, if not drop to ab initio. I'd say a language B would look cooler when applying to top unis. good luck! 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rigel Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Usually it depends on the courses you are taking, but if you are really worried about that, you can take a Language B as stated above. Good luck! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
goTiffany Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) There really isn't that much of a difference.Honestly coming from a person who loathes foreign language, I took Spanish B and I only learned enough to pass the test. I'm not fluent and my level barely meets elementary standards. I actually failed my 3rd year of Spanish during the second semester. Yet, I passed it, because the test are so easy. The reading and comprehension is easy due to the context clues, even if you can't answer the higher level questions. Our class practiced with mock exams, as long as you answer all of the questions, regardless if you have the right answer, your bound to get at least half (which is a 4) right.Also, if your teacher gives you essays to write and sticks with the IB format (easiest points to earn), then they are easy. We practiced these all year long, at the end we had a surprise essay, in which we had not prepared for and I made 21/30 coming from a teacher who grades harder than IB (I swear, She argued over giving full points on the "message" of a movie review, because it didn't persuade her enough).I mean as long as you get the format( like a letter, email format)right, there's 10 points. If you convey your message and it relates to the topic, theres another 10. Now you really don't need a stock of grammar points, but usually I average 3. So, there's at least 20/30 points easy.I know IB is changing the I.A. oral formats, but still rather easy. I stumbled through mine and had severe anxiety, yet I still passed.I'm not sure how other languages are, but if their anything like Spanish, then I would say take the B level. Edited July 11, 2011 by goTiffany Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDuino Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 yeah but like why is looked sometimes as an easy option if you actually dont know anything about that language?..kind of strange really... Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Soiboist Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 No, you are absolutely fine with ab initio. Both Oxford and UCL are way to professional to frown upon a beginner's language course. Moreover I am not even sure that they are truly aware of the content of the course, except perhaps those admission officers that know basic Latin. Anyway, universities in the UK don't really mind your SL subjects as they are roughly comparable to AS, which is not as important as A levels, which in its turn is equivalent to HL subjects. Just focus on achieving a high grade for your ab initio language so that it contributes to a high overall score.Good luck! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrowhead Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) No' date=' you are absolutely fine with ab initio. Both Oxford and UCL are way to professional to frown upon a beginner's language course. Moreover I am not even sure that they are truly aware of the content of the course, except perhaps those admission officers that know basic Latin. Anyway, universities in the UK don't really mind your SL subjects as they are roughly comparable to AS, which is not as important as A levels, which in its turn is equivalent to HL subjects. Just focus on achieving a high grade for your ab initio language so that it contributes to a high overall score.[/quote']Could not have said it better myself. I took French Ab Initio in the IB and it was really hard for me. But I not only got my Oxford interview, but also got acceptances from all my Unis (LSE, King's, Warwick, and Sussex). So really, it depends on what you want to pursue at Uni. I wanted to go for Law, so all that mattered were English and History HL and as far as the Unis consideration went, my three HLs in tandem. My SLs existed solely to boost my overall score. After all, I took Environmental Systems SL along with French Ab Initio SL, both admittedly "soft" subjects, it didn't hinder me in the slightest. Edited July 12, 2011 by Arrowhead Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.