CollegeVine Expert FAQ

I'm trying to outline my college essay, but I'm not sure how it should be structured. Are there any 'best practices' for how a college essay should flow, or is it pretty flexible as long as it's coher …

Quick question: Are we allowed to use highlighters while taking our AP exams? I find them super helpful for marking key points in passages and questions. Haven't seen any official guidelines on this a …

I've been working to keep my grades up and aiming for National Honor Society. Does anyone know the GPA requirement for NHS? Also, do colleges care a lot about this for admissions?

Hey, so I'm taking AP Microeconomics next year and I kinda wanna know what I'm getting into. Like, does it dive deep into specific markets, or is it more general concepts? How complex are the math pro …

I'm starting to prep my college applications and Cornell is at the top of my list. Does anyone know what GPA I should have to be a competitive applicant for an Ivy League school like Cornell?

World History is so broad, and I'm a bit lost when it comes to narrowing down my studying for the exam. Which units or time periods do you guys think are the most important for the AP World History ex …

Kind of freaking out because I don't think I did well on one of my AP exams. Will scoring a 1 hurt my college chances? Should I report it or just leave it out when I apply? Any advice would be appreci …

I'm currently an IB Diploma candidate and starting to stress a bit about college readiness. Can anyone who's been through the IB program and college tell me how college classes compare to what we're d …

Hey folks! Quick q - do students who apply ED to colleges also get considered for scholarships, or do you have to apply RD to be in the running for that sorta thing? Money is a big factor for me and I …

Okay, so Stony Brook has some pretty sick programs for STEM, and I'm all about that life. But I'm kinda thinking I should have a broader list. Any ideas on other universities with strong STEM programs …

Just getting started on my college essay and I'm stuck on choosing a topic. Anyone have tips on how they chose what to write about? How did you make sure your topic was unique but still true to you?

I've been studying for the AP Bio exam, but I'm worried I might be missing something important. Can anyone tell me what the absolute must-know concepts are that I can't afford to not understand for th …

Alright, I know this might be a bit of a weird question, but if I have to guess on a multiple-choice question during an AP exam, is there a letter (like A, B, C, or D) that tends to be the answer more …

Hey everyone! I'm starting to put together my college list and to be honest, the thought of writing dozens of supplemental essays is overwhelming. Can anyone list some good colleges that don't require …

This might be a sensitive topic, but I need your guys' input. I've battled with mental illness and it has been a huge part of my life. I'm considering writing about this in my college essay to showcas …

Hey all, Junior here a bit confused about the format of AP exams. Are they done on paper or computers? Has anyone here taken AP exams recently that can share what it was like? I'm worried because my t …

Feeling a bit anxious trying to find universities that strike the balance between academic research strength and a big school spirit/athletics vibe similar to Duke and UNC. Any junior-friendly advice …

Hey guys, I'm a junior trying to figure out where I stand with my GPA and where I can apply. How do I find out the specific GPA requirements for universities like Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky …

Hello fellow stress-mates, I've got AP Lit this year and it's kinda freaking me out 😅 Does anyone know the types of questions or texts we'll be dealing with on the exam? Need to get my study plan in o …

I'm in the process of making my college list and I want to make sure I have enough time to write all the essays I need to. Does anyone have a list or know where I can find information on which college …