You likely won’t be disadvantaged by knowing only one language when you head to college. Being fluent in the language your peers and teachers speak can undoubtedly be of great value. However, those who can speak two or more languages may enjoy an extra set of advantages. Being bilingual in a college setting may see you thrive in some of the following ways:
Access to More Resources
After attending a learning institute like World Kids School as a child to learn a second language like Spanish or Mandarin, you may be able to enjoy access to more learning resources once you head off to college.
Many academic resources are available in multiple languages. If you speak and read in more than one language, you might broaden your access to educational materials. You might also enjoy new perspectives.
Better Communication Skills
Those who only know one language can have refined communication skills that benefit them personally and professionally. However, there’s no denying that bilingual people do have an advantage in this area.
Studies have found that infants raised in multilingual and monolingual households have different social experiences, resulting in varying levels of social cognition. The research also suggests that multilingual infants outperform those raised in monolingual environments because they can observe a speaker’s visual perspective to understand their meaning. Even a small amount of exposure to multiple languages can enhance communication.
Employability
Many students enter college with employment on their minds. They want to work hard to gain a qualification and enter their dream career. Some students also want to work part-time while they study to fund their education.
Whether you’re just entering college or are getting ready to graduate and enter the workforce, employability may be a benefit you enjoy as someone who can speak multiple languages. Many employers see multilingualism as beneficial, especially in multinational companies or roles requiring working with a diverse group.
As a result, you may find it easier to secure part-time work to help fund your college education. Depending on your career path, you may also have an advantage when seeking full-time employment after graduating.
Networking Opportunities
Networking can be crucial for making new friends and acquaintances in your personal and professional life. The more people you know, the more opportunities you can sometimes enjoy. Anyone can reap the rewards of networking. However, bilingual people have more social opportunities to take advantage of. Communicating in two languages means they can connect with a broader range of people. They may even be able to maintain life-long connections for personal and professional benefit.
Enhanced Cognitive Skills
Cognitive skills are crucial for critical thinking, problem-solving, and multitasking in college education. Studies have found that multilingual people have better task-switching and attention capacities than those who only know one language. This is because they can inhibit one language while using another. Those studies also found that bilingual children adjust better to environmental changes. In later life, bilingual seniors typically experience less cognitive decline.
Anyone can thrive in college, but many bilingual people may reap more rewards than most. Going to college knowing two languages might see you enjoying more networking opportunities, enhanced cognitive skills, access to more resources and employment opportunities, and better communication skills.