CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hey, I'm a bit stressed about applying to college and I'm not sure whether I should go for early decision or early action. Can you explain the differences between the two and which one might be a bett …

Hello! I'm a junior working on my college list, and I'm trying to figure out how to balance reach, target, and safety schools. How many of each type of school should I apply to? Are there any guidelin …

Hi guys! I'm a junior in high school and I'm thinking about joining a sports team to diversify my extracurriculars. I know that playing sports might help my college application, but I'm not exactly su …

Hey! I'm curious about the college essay review process. Do admissions officers actually read every single essay, or do they only read a select few? I'm just wondering how much effort I should put int …

Hey there! i wanted to know, can you take an IB exam without having taken the full course? I'm kind of interested in testing myself in a subject, but my school doesn't offer the course. Is it even pos …

Hey guys! I'm considering applying to a college with a binding Early Decision program, but I'm a little nervous about committing. How can I decide if this is the right choice for me? What are the pros …

Hi there, I recently took the SAT and scored a 1450. I'm aiming for top-tier colleges and I'm not sure if my score is good enough. Is it worth retaking the test or should I focus on other aspects of m …

Hello, I'm a junior and I'm a bit worried about my freshman year grades. They weren't as strong as my sophomore or junior year grades. How much do colleges consider freshman year grades when making ad …

Hey everyone, I'm currently ranked #6 in my class of 400, and I've been wondering what kind of class rank would be considered competitive for an Ivy League school. Do I stand a good chance with my cur …

Hi there! I'm a high school junior and I recently took the SAT. My score is just below the average for my dream school, and I'm not sure if I should retake it or not. Is it worth trying to improve my …

As a first-generation immigrant, I feel like my experiences could make for a strong college essay. However, I'm not sure how to start or what to focus on. Can anyone give me some tips or share their e …

Hi all, I'm a junior, and I'm passionate about history. How can I best convey my enthusiasm for this subject in my college application? Are there specific things I should focus on or include to show t …

Hey everyone! So, I'm a junior and I'm already dreading the college essay process because I've never been a particularly strong writer. I tend to struggle with organizing my thoughts and making my ess …

Hi! I'm a junior and I know I need to start thinking about getting letters of recommendation for my college applications. Should I be asking teachers from different subjects (like humanities and STEM) …

Hi everyone, I'm really interested in majoring in engineering when I go to college, but I don't have much experience or any extracurriculars in engineering-related fields. Are there certain things I c …

Hey guys! I'm a junior who's starting to feel really stressed about the college application process. Between school, extracurriculars, and worrying about getting into a good college, I'm struggling to …

Unfortunately, I have a felony on my record, and I'm worried it might affect my chances of getting financial aid for college. Does anyone know if having a felony will disqualify me from receiving fina …

Hi all, I recently received my decisions and didn't get into my top choice schools. I'm debating whether to take a gap year to work on my application and try again, or just go to one of the schools th …

I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about taking the SAT. When should I start studying for it? And what resources do you recommend? Thanks in advance for the help!

Hi! I'm really passionate about filmmaking and want to major in film production. What are some ways I can showcase my passion in my college applications? Should I submit a portfolio, even if it's not …