In discussing retention strategies for students doing a Major in Spanish, one of the most common challenges is not to attract students. More often than not, the challenge is to convince parents or legal guardians in charge of paying for their children’s education that a degree in a foreign language can be a lucrative one.
This post is addressed to those students with parents who are not fully convinced of the value of a foreign language degree or are not willing to support a student interested in doing a Major in Spanish or any other language.
But first...Why did you decide to study Spanish?
Did you fall in love with Spanish after taking a semester in high school? Did you decide to learn the language after doing a study abroad program in Costa Rica? Did you decide to enroll in a Spanish course because you have a friend from Chile and want to visit his country? Did you start learning phrases like “¿Cómo te llamas?” or “¿Dónde está la biblioteca?” after having a crush on an Argentinian?
The reasons are abundant for embarking on the adventure of learning and improving your Spanish proficiency. Yet, it is hard to convince your parents to support your choice. Accept that not everybody is going to support your decision. Perhaps they do not know a lot about studying a foreign language or had a bad experience in college. Or, they know someone with a degree in a foreign language who has a different lifestyle than theirs.
The good news is that you can always find ways to start the conversation and become an ambassador of foreign language learning. By advocating for language education, you can better understand the challenges, perceptions, and need to have more people learning a second language.
Here are some strategies:
Find the right time and place to deliver the news.
People are more receptive to listening to others under the right conditions, with adequate time, and in a comfortable place. Make sure to create the right conditions to have this conversation by ensuring that all of you have privacy, space, and time. Ask your parents if they are available to talk about your career choice. If not, ask when they will be available.
Understand their point of view.
Some parents will be more receptive to your career choice. In other cases, parents will be opposed to your decision, as they expect you to pursue careers that they perceive to be more profitable, such as medicine, law, or business. This tendency is more common if you are a first-generation student and people in your family see you as the one improving their financial conditions. Do not minimize their concerns, but engage with them. Answer questions and share experiences. Listen without opposing the points they make. Take note of their concerns to learn more about the degree and job prospects. This is a learning experience for everybody.
Share your plan.
Share your plan with your parents. What courses do you have to take to complete the degree on time? How long will it take to finish it? Are you planning to travel abroad? What schools do you plan to attend? How much is the tuition per semester? What kind of job do you want to have after graduation? What is the salary? What are the working conditions?
If you do not have a plan, this is the perfect moment to start thinking about the future and consider factors that might impact your success. Make a list of issues that you need to figure out by the time you graduate. By the way, you do not need to have a polished plan. One of the most amazing things about being in college is the constant exposure to new experiences. These experiences will make you change your mind and grow. A plan will guide you but plans can change after you gather more information.
Find testimonials from people with Spanish degrees who have had a successful career.
Find testimonials of professionals with Spanish degrees. By finding and sharing examples, you will be able to demonstrate that people with a foreign degree can have fulfilling careers. Some programs share the success of students or alumni on their websites. LinkedIn is full of professionals who are willing to share their professional paths. Also, Careers in Spanish has a series named “Professional Stories” with interviews with people with a degree in Spanish. You can see post five for an interview with Toni Gozalbo Torner and post 10 for an interview with Osvaldo de la Torre.
Show them statistics and salary data related to a foreign language degree.
Although statistics and salary data are less personal, they are great resources to convince people who need concrete data and numbers. You can check different websites, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, or Salary. You can also visit O*NET OnLine. O*NET OnLine is a database with occupational information developed for the U. S. Department of Labor by the National Center for O*NET Development. This database allows you to see wages in different states. Keep in mind that these numbers are estimates.
If you are doing a Major in Spanish already, how did you tell your parents? Were they supportive? What would you do differently?