The assumption that the "purpose" of school foreign language teaching is to serve "instrumental" ends may largely underlie the present adolescent dropout. In this article the author proposes a two-stage foreign language apprenticeship. A two-stage apprenticeship would include a carefully planned diagnostic element, preparing learners for the important choices to be made at stage two of the journey, motivated by emerging adult interests, both academic and vocational. The author contends that recovery from the dropout could be further encouraged by the restoration of a crucial ingredient at stage two, now lost by too many learners, namely, "intensive immersion in the chosen language." Ways of doing this are cited which were road-tested successfully in the 1970s and 80s. With this vital ingredient restored and with the different "purposes" of the two stages of the school course clearly recognized, teachers can surely transform dropout into opportunity. (Contains 5 notes.)