CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello! I'm a junior and have been involved in many extracurricular activities throughout high school, but I haven't received any significant awards. How important is it to have awards on college appli …

Hi friends, I'm a junior who's trying to decide when to take the SAT/ACT. I want to give myself enough time to prepare and potentially retake it if needed. When do you guys recommend taking these test …

Hi all! I got my SAT results and scored a 1520, which I'm really happy about. However, I know that Ivy League schools are extremely competitive, and I'm wondering if my score is strong enough to be co …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I've started to think about applying for scholarships to help with college costs. What should I know about the scholarship application process, and how can I maximize my …

Hi! I've heard mixed things about Ivy League interviews and I'm wondering if they interview every applicant? Is it a required part of the application process for all students or just for certain ones? …

I'm curious to know how heavily colleges weigh the essay compared to other aspects of the application, like grades, test scores, and extracurriculars. Does the essay play a significant role in the adm …

Hey all, I'm a junior who's aiming for top-tier colleges. I've got good grades and test scores, but I'm worried about standing out among thousands of applicants. What can I do to improve my chances of …

I understand that applying Early Decision is binding, but I was wondering what would happen if I applied ED, got accepted, and ultimately decided not to attend the school. If anyone has gone through t …

Hi everyone, I have a bit of a lower GPA (3.4 unweighted) due to some personal challenges earlier in high school. However, I have strong extracurricular involvement and leadership positions. Do you th …

Hi guys! I'm a transfer student planning to apply early decision to a few schools like NYU and Columbia. I understand the early decision process for high school seniors, but is there anything I should …

I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should apply early action or regular decision to some colleges on my list. Can someone explain the main differences between the two and any pros or cons? I'm …

Hey there! I'm a high school junior, and I've just started researching potential universities. Any tips on what I should focus on? How do I know if a college will be a good fit for me? I'm particularl …

Hi there! I'm an artist hoping to submit an arts supplement with my Ivy League applications. I'm just not sure what I should include: should it showcase a variety of mediums or focus on a specific ski …

Hey guys! I'm a junior, and I'm wondering if colleges have a preference for certain types of high school curriculums (like AP, IB, or dual enrollment). What do you think? Thanks for your help!

Hey guys, I'm in the process of creating my college list and considering to apply mainly to R1 research universities. Are they significantly better than other college options or more prestigious? Is t …

Hey guys! I'm a junior and I'm starting to feel like my extracurriculars are lacking. I don't have any truly impressive accomplishments, but I'm passionate about climate change activism and filmmaking …

Hello everyone! I'm a high school junior and I'm trying to understand what colleges prioritize when reviewing applications. Is it GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, or something else? How can I focus …

Hi all! I recently got my SAT scores and I got a 1480. I'm seriously thinking about applying to Ivy League schools, but I'm not sure if my score is high enough. I have solid extracurriculars and a hig …

I'm starting to look into the college application process, and I've noticed that some schools offer interviews for applicants. Are these interviews mandatory, or can I still have a strong application …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I've been looking into colleges recently. I've come across the term 'research program' a lot in university descriptions, but I'm not exactly sure what it mea …