<p>You generally need both an undergrad degree and several years of work experience to become an agent, unless you have special skills (e.g. languages, computer expertise). </p>
<p>A relative of mine is an agent. His undergrad was at his state university, no public Ivy. The agency was looking for biology majors at the time to do forensic lab work. The lab people needed to first spend time as special agents, and with the work-experience-before-FBI-academy requirement, it was really long-range recruitment. My relative spent a couple of years working as tech support at an FBI office before submitting his agent application. Many applicants also apply to similar positions in other agencies, e.g. Secret Service. </p>
<p>They’ve become much stricter about no drug use in the past few years. It used to be that they’d ask, and if you answered honestly, occasional useage of marijuana wasn’t a problem. Note that they ask for 3 years with no use of illegal drugs AND 3 years of work experience, time enough for a raucous undergrad to clean up :)</p>