Most college-bound teens tend to focus on core English, history, science, and math classes as the keys to the schools of their dreams. Little do they know how important or influential their language studies can be. Amy and Mike invited educator Rachèle DeMeo to explore foreign languages as a superpower in college admissions.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What's the best way for students to make their language proficiency really stand out on a college application, so it doesn't just look like another bullet point?

2. How can students highlight their language skills on their college applications?

3. How can foreign language knowledge help students skip certain classes in college?

4. How can students weave their language skills into their college experience—whether through study abroad, tutoring, campus jobs, or other opportunities that let them practice and even get paid for it?

5. What are some of the long-term benefits of being bilingual or multilingual—not just for a student's academic journey, but also for their personal growth and future career opportunities?

MEET OUR GUEST

Rachèle DeMeo was born in Nîmes, in the south of France, and raised in a multicultural family with American, British, and Italian roots. Growing up bilingual, she developed a deep love for languages and cultures, which set the stage for her lifelong mission: helping others discover the power of languages.

After earning her French Baccalaureate in languages, philosophy, and literature, she moved to the United States, where she completed a B.A. in Christian Education, taught French in various institutions, and even worked on Capitol Hill. She later moved to California to teach French at the middle school, high school, and college levels, and went on to earn two Master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership.

With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Rachèle has taught everyone from young children to college students and professionals, both in-person and online. She is the founder and president of FLAM San Diego, a nonprofit school that provides French language and culture programs for children across the U.S., and the founder of Belle Terre Academy, which offers online language courses. She is also an author of six (published) books, an educational speaker who trains teachers worldwide, and a YouTuber with a growing community of over 18,000 subscribers.

Beyond education, Rachèle is passionate about humanitarian work, having supported refugee and orphan projects around the world. She's also a musician, a lover of travel, and a fan of extreme sports like surfing and snowboarding. Today, she and her husband are raising their two children bilingually, continuing the family tradition of celebrating languages as a bridge between cultures.

Rachèle can be reached at [email protected].

LINKS

Rachèle DeMeo's books

Foreign Languages for University Admissions — Setting Up for Success

RELATED EPISODES

GETTING READY FOR AP WORLD LANGUAGE EXAMS

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.