if so, how many years of foreign language? I know Yale has a new foreign language requirement thing for undergrads. What are the "minimum" SAT and GPA's needed to get in? And is sports and extra-curricular SUCH a big deal?

I don't know the US school system so I don't have a clue what you are on about but in the UK the extra cirricular stuff is generally a very good extra thing but not an essential.

You can find out about course requirements on any university's webpage.

 

As for getting in, from what I know, GPA and SATs (or ACTs, depending on the uni) can counterbalance each other. If you have a high GPA, that can (to an extent) counterbalance a lower score on a standardized test. If you have a high SAT (or ACT) score, that can counterbalance a lower GPA (it certainly did for me; I hated HS and never really applied myself).

 

As for "extracuriculars", frankly, I think they're overemphasized by HS compared to their effect on college admissions. But, then again, I did spectacularly well on my standardized tests, so they didn't care that my stance on community service was "f*** the community".

 

Mokele

I did spectacularly well on my standardized tests, so they didn't care that my stance on community service was "f*** the community".

And I thought the OFU on your sweatshirt stood for Ohio Free University.

 

I'll bet you were their favorite tufted, scaly lizard-monster at U of Cinn!

Well, actually the only place I was ever admitted as an undergrad was FIT. I went to U of Cinci for my MS in Aerospace, but switched to Bio undergrad there without having to be re-admitted, and I'm actually still here for my MS in bio.

 

Interestingly, it seems like most people here recognize me, which is rather surprising since it's a university of 30k+ undergrads.

 

Mokele

Interestingly, it seems like most people here recognize me, which is rather surprising since it's a university of 30k+ undergrads.

Winning smile, Tokyo-smashing tail and waist-length sideburns would be my top guesses.

Some universities require 2 years of a foriegn launguage, but not all.