First off, there were NO extenuating circumstances for not taking language classes in my case. I stopped taking them because I didn’t want to. Period. Also, did you miss the point I made about knowing many people at my college and others who got in without any fl experience? Do you actually have personal real experience with many people at these schools?
Furthermore, graduation requirements means language requirements that must be fulfilled by the time you finish college. Not prior to college. Keep that in mind. I took language classes throughout my first year, in a language I only then started, to fulfill that graduation requirement.
Furthermore through family friends, and taking language classes at college I know several language professors at these schools, I know 100% that the vast majority of the hundreds of students in the intro lang classes are taking it for the graduation requirement which they have to fulfill since they have no fl hs experience.
These top colleges generally require you to have experience in all the core areas prior to graduating from them (as seen in the GRADUATION requirements). Not necessarily prior to admission.