CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello! I'm a high school junior, and I'm starting to stress about the upcoming college application process. I'm involved in several extracurriculars, and I'm worried about how to balance everything wi …

Hi all, I've held a couple of leadership positions in high school, and I want to emphasize that experience in my college essay. Any tips on how to showcase my leadership skills effectively in my essay …

I'm a junior, and due to some personal issues, my grades during the first few semesters weren't great. I've worked hard to improve my grades, and I can see progress. How can I explain my initial bad g …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I've been wondering if my choice of major will impact my chances of getting into college. Do colleges look at the major I choose when deciding whether to acc …

Hello everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I'm working on creating a college resume to include with my applications. I want to make sure I'm including all the relevant information, but I'm not sure …

Hey guys, I'm a bit concerned about my AP scores and their impact on college admissions. Just how much do AP scores affect the admissions process, and should I worry if they're not perfect? Thanks in …

Hello! I recently scored a 1520 on my SAT and am planning to apply to the Ivy League. I was wondering if this score is good enough for these competitive schools or if I should try to improve it. Thank …

Hi everyone, I come from a low-income family and I'm aiming for the Ivy League schools. Even though I have a strong academic record, I never got the chance to participate in expensive and prestigious …

I'm starting my essay for college applications and I'm curious about how long this process may take. Can you guys give me an estimate on how many hours or days it took you to complete your essays? I r …

Hey guys, I'm a junior and I'm worried that I don't have any real leadership positions in clubs at my school. What are some ways I can demonstrate leadership skills when I don't have an official title …

Hi! I'm a junior in high school, and I'm passionate about both computer science and creative writing. Is it possible to study both subjects by double-majoring in college, or would the workload be too …

Hi guys, I'm a junior and I'm trying to decide between taking the SAT and the ACT. I've heard that some students do better on one test over the other, but I'm not sure how to decide which one is right …

Hey! I'm trying to decide between taking AP and IB courses, and I've heard that IB courses are more challenging than AP courses. Is this true or just a myth? Thanks for your input!

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I had a pretty rough freshman year academically. My grades improved dramatically in 10th and 11th grade, but my overall GPA is still lower than I'd like. Is an upward tre …

Hi fellow students and collegevine! I'm a high school junior, and I've been involved in a few clubs and activities, but I haven't held any leadership positions. Will this hurt my chances of getting in …

Hey all! I'm a junior considering applying to some prestigious engineering programs like MIT, Caltech, and Stanford. My stats (GPA and test scores) are pretty strong, but my extracurriculars are lacki …

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I'll be the first person in my family to attend college. I've heard that being a first-generation college student might give me an advantage in the admissions process. Is …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior and I'm in the process of creating my college list. I'm having a hard time figuring out which schools would be a good fit for me, both academically and socially. My GPA is ar …

Hey guys! I'm planning to take the SAT in a few months and I've been feeling a little bit stressed about it. I've heard that having a good study plan can make a huge difference in your score. Do you h …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior and I'm trying to figure out the best course load for next year. Is it better to have a high GPA in easier classes, or a slightly lower GPA in more challenging cl …