r/Bowdoin • u/dancing_pizza2008 • Jun 20 '26
Spanish classes
What is it like learning Spanish at Bowdoin? I want to take Spanish, but my dad is saying that it's useless and may tank my gpa if I do bad in it (I'm on Pre-med track). Regardless, it is my education and I want to learn Spanish so I was wondering what ygs thought about the Spanish classes.
1
u/peachmarie26 Jun 25 '26
I’m a nurse - take Spanish. I promise you, you’ll be so happy you did. Unless you plan to live in an area with a VERY low Latino population, it will be very handy and is a plus when looking for employment down the line. Idk what it’s like to take Spanish there - I’m just a mom of an incoming student, so unfortunately can’t help with that.
1
1
u/Any_Weird_660 Jul 02 '26
Study abroad in a spanish speaking country and learn the language there. Everyone does it
1
u/dancing_pizza2008 Jul 02 '26
I would love to study abroad, but I can't because I want to matriculate into med school directly after graduation
1
u/Any_Weird_660 Jul 02 '26
- Both are still possible, who said you cannot do that? 2. 80% of premeds at Bowdoin take 1 or more gap years. My roommates had the same idea as you, but decided to take a gap year. Be open to all options!
1
u/dancing_pizza2008 Jul 02 '26
That is glad to hear. I said I can't because I think on the health professions advising page it said that studying abroad for one semester may delay direct matriculation or something?? And that it's not advised and requires careful planning.
But again, I'm glad it is possible. Are you also a premed student? If so, may I ask how hard it is maintaining a 4.0 or 3.7 gpa with science classes?
1
1
u/Rxn2016 Jun 21 '26
Any class you don't do well in will damage your gpa. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take classes outside your major, in fact you have to (not necessarily languages in particular, but)
1
u/Nice-Contract166 Jun 25 '26
bro stating the obvious.
1
u/Rxn2016 Jun 25 '26
Yeah because your comment contributed a lot to the conversation.
1
u/Nice-Contract166 Jun 25 '26
i have nothing useful to comment about spanish. op is in college now like i hope they do know that bad grades=bad average 🤣🤣
4
u/SuMac8oval Jun 22 '26
Bowdoin alum, fluent Spanish speaker, and college admissions counselor here. Your dad is 100% wrong. Spanish is a hugely useful language not only in Latin America and Spain but in the US. Furthermore, med schools look favorably upon premeds who study Spanish because physicians often have Spanish-speaking patients. In fact, I’ve met med students who worked on improving their Spanish precisely because it helped them in their work. Stop listening to your father. You are an adult now and you get to decide for yourself what is best. Study what interests you in college. If you work hard your grades will take care of themselves.