Explore our collection of admissions FAQs. Each answer is expert-approved by our team to help you reach your goals.
Hey everyone, I'm a junior, and I've been considering taking a gap year after high school. I have some exciting plans and opportunities, but I'm worried that taking a year off might negatively impact …
Hey everyone, I'm a high school junior and I've been thinking about whether it's worth it to go to an expensive, prestigious college. I'm worried about the cost and taking on too much debt. Is the edu …
Hi there! I'm working on creating my college list, and I want to make sure I have a good balance of safety, match, and reach schools. How did you all decide which colleges to include in each category? …
Hey everyone, I'm a junior and I'm considering applying to some colleges early action or early decision. Are there any benefits to doing this, like increased chances of admission or better financial a …
I'm a high school junior and I've always wanted to become a doctor; however, my grades aren't the best. Can I still pursue a career in medicine, or have I already ruined my chances with these subpar g …
Hi everyone! I'm considering applying Early Decision to Columbia because it's been my dream school for years. However, I've heard that applying ED might limit my financial aid options. Has anyone appl …
Hey all, I'm an avid reader and have read hundreds of books throughout high school. Would it be a good idea to list reading as an extracurricular activity on my college application, or does it not rea …
I'm considering taking a gap year after I graduate high school, but I'm worried about how it may impact my college application. Do universities generally view gap years in a positive or negative light …
Hi everyone, I've heard that some colleges might check out applicants' social media profiles as part of the admissions process. Is this true? Should I be worried about what I post online, or is it not …
Hey guys! I have this idea of writing about my favorite book/movie and how it has influenced me. Do you think it's a good topic for a college essay? Will it make me stand out or seem too generic? Any …
Hey everyone! I'm working on creating a college resume, and I'm not sure what to include. Should it mainly focus on my academic and extracurricular accomplishments, or should I also list things like h …
Hi! I'm really passionate about engineering and robotics, and I've participated in and led multiple extracurricular activities in these areas like FIRST Robotics and my school's coding club. I'm consi …
Hi everyone, I've always wanted to attend West Point, but my academic record isn't great (3.4 GPA). I am, however, an Eagle Scout, have participated in JROTC, and held leadership positions on the trac …
Hey everyone! I'm a junior in high school and I've been babysitting for a couple of families in my neighborhood for quite some time now. Is it okay to include babysitting as an extracurricular activit …
Hey guys! I'm a bit stressed about college finances at the moment. My grades aren't fantastic (few C's, mostly B's), and I'm worried about how this might impact my ability to get a student loan. Can I …
Hi everyone, I'm currently working on my college essays, and I realized that my main topic isn't particularly unique. It's about overcoming personal challenges, and I'm worried that it might come acro …
Hey everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I've heard rumors that college admissions officers might look at applicants' social media profiles. Is this true, and should I be concerned about what I pos …
Hello everyone, I'm a junior and I'm trying to decide if I should apply Early Decision or Regular Decision to my top choice college. What are the pros and cons of each, and how did you guys make your …
Hello! I'm stuck between two schools for early decision, Brown and Dartmouth, and I really can't decide which one to prioritize. I know ED is binding, but is it possible to apply to both schools using …
Hello everyone! As I'm working on my college essay, I'm wondering how many drafts I should write before I have a polished final product. I don't want to overwork it, but I also want to make sure it's …