CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello everyone, I'm a junior and I've been considering taking a gap year after high school. What are the pros and cons of taking a gap year, and how do colleges view students who take a gap year? Than …

As an international student, finding financial aid for college is really important to me. How can I search for colleges in the US that offer generous financial aid for international students? Any reso …

Hey everyone, I'm working on narrowing down my college list and I've been focusing on research universities lately. I'm just curious, does anybody have an idea of how many research universities there …

Hi! I have a strong background in visual arts (currently taking AP Art) and have received multiple awards for my work. I am planning on applying to schools like Brown and Yale. Will this background in …

Hey guys! So, I'm a junior with a 4.0 GPA, 34 ACT, and strong extracurriculars in engineering (including robotics and internships). I'm planning to apply to schools like MIT, Caltech, and Carnegie Mel …

Hi everyone! I'm researching colleges to add to my application list, and I'd like to consider some lesser-known schools that might be a great fit for me. Can you suggest any hidden gems that might not …

Hello, I'm a junior in high school, and I'm starting to think about how to pay for college. What's the best way to approach asking for financial aid? Are there any tips or strategies I should know abo …

Okay, so I had a few rough semesters during high school, and my grades suffered as a result (I'm talking about a couple of Cs and quite a few Bs). There were some personal and family issues I had to d …

Hey there! I tutor some students in math and science on weekends. Is tutoring considered an extracurricular activity, and should I include it on my college application? Thanks in advance for your advi …

I'm starting to create my college list, and I'm torn between large state schools with lots of resources and opportunities, and small liberal arts colleges that have a tight-knit community feel. I'm pl …

I'm about to submit my college essay and I'm curious if adding a title would make a difference. Do you think it's important or just optional? Thanks for your help!

Hello everyone! I'm currently a junior and will need financial aid for college. I want to apply to a few Ivy League schools, but I'm concerned that it might make my chances worse. Is there any truth t …

I'm a junior in high school, and despite my efforts, my GPA isn't as high as I'd like it to be. I'll certainly need financial assistance for college, but I'm worried that my GPA might make it difficul …

Hi everyone, I have a question about extracurricular activities for college applications. I've been going to the gym consistently for a few years, and it's a big part of my life. Can I include it as a …

Hello collegevine! I'm wondering how important class rank is when applying to college. My school doesn't rank students, but I know some schools do. How do colleges view class rank, and should I be wor …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior, and as part of my college prep, I want to practice writing research papers in the style that's expected at universities. Does anyone have advice or guidelines fo …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior, and I had to retake my pre-calculus class because I got a low grade the first time. How will colleges view this when reviewing my transcript? I'm looking to appl …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior, and I'm starting to worry about the possibility of not getting into my dream college. If I do get rejected, how can I handle the disappointment and move forward? …

I've held a few leadership positions throughout high school and I was wondering how important it is to showcase my leadership experiences in my college essay. Should I dedicate a good portion of my es …

Hey everyone! So, I'm working on my college applications and I was wondering if it's okay to use the same essay for multiple schools? Is there any way for colleges to find out if I'm doing this and wi …