Foreign Language

[@ISHAN]

Hi guys!! Ishan here!

 

I am an international student. I have been taking some clasess for German language for quite some time.I stared from the basic level and now i am at an advanced stage.I stared this course during my UG final year.Coming to the point I want to know that will foreign language certifications give any significant weighatge to my profile when it gets reviewed my the admissions commitee.?I am currently preparing for GRE.

Edited June 15, 2014 by @ISHAN

[EmperorRyker]

Nope. You don't get a medal for learning a foreign language. That's not an extreme achievement and is something people do on a regular basis. In fact, a lot of them learn more than a single foreign language.

[m-ttl]

Nope. You don't get a medal for learning a foreign language. That's not an extreme achievement and is something people do on a regular basis. In fact, a lot of them learn more than a single foreign language.

 

This would be a different story, I think, if the person was a humanities student, where additional foreign languages are required. But it doesn't seem like that's always the case in STEM. 

[EmperorRyker]

This would be a different story, I think, if the person was a humanities student, where additional foreign languages are required. But it doesn't seem like that's always the case in STEM. 

 

Yeah, but who doesn't know a foreign language? Knowing just one doesn't really make you stand out.

[hj2012]

Yeah, but who doesn't know a foreign language? Knowing just one doesn't really make you stand out.

 

Most students have, at some point in time, studied a foreign language. But the number of folks who can actually hold a conversation in the foreign language is much smaller. I studied Spanish for a number of years, but the only language that I would consider myself to be truly "proficient" is Korean, my heritage language.

 

If the OP was interested in studying, say, the Protestant Reformation, advanced German would likely be a huge boost. But for an MS in Aerospace...I wouldn't expect that to help at all. 

[victorydance]

Yeah, but who doesn't know a foreign language? Knowing just one doesn't really make you stand out.

 

Lots of people? Only one fifth of Americans speak a second language. And a strong majority of these people speak a second language because they are first or second generation immigrants and are exposed to a language other than English at home. The amount of people that actually acquired a second language on their own in the US is very low (an advanced level anyways, which is very different than taking a few language courses).

 

That being said, I could see how being proficient in German could be a slight advantage in the job market for a engineer, it makes no difference for admissions. Like someone else said, if you were in the humanities or social sciences and were studying something that is applicable or needed to do fieldwork, then yes, maybe it helps; but in this situation it makes no difference at all.

Edited June 16, 2014 by victorydance

[EmperorRyker]

Lots of people? Only one fifth of Americans speak a second language. And a strong majority of these people speak a second language because they are first or second generation immigrants and are exposed to a language other than English at home. The amount of people that actually acquired a second language on their own in the US is very low (an advanced level anyways, which is very different than taking a few language courses).

 

Oh, that's sad then, I guess. Admissions committees probably have higher standards as to what they consider the norm, though.

[@ISHAN]

So I guess I will have to chalk out another plan for bettertment of my profile and getting a high score on GRE is one of them! But still I wil continue learning it as its an interesting language.I also have some certifications related to the softwares that are used in Aerospace Engineering.I beleive these certifications will add some weighatge to my profile but ofcourse they may not make me stand out from the rest.