CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hi, I'm a high school junior and I haven't won many awards or honors yet. How important are they in college applications? What do admissions officers look for? I'm a little stressed, any advice would …

Hi all! I'm a junior and I'm starting to feel a little bit stressed about balancing my schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and college applications next year. Do you have any tips for managing my …

I like to use humor in my writing and I think it could make my college essay more engaging. Is it okay to be funny in a college essay or should I stick to a more serious tone?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about who to ask for recommendation letters for my college applications. How do I choose the best teachers to write my letters? Should I focus on te …

I've had some low grades during high school due to personal circumstances, and I'm wondering if I should address this in my college essay. Is it a good idea to bring up my low grades or should I focus …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior and I've been hearing a lot about legacy admissions. My parents both attended a prestigious university, and I'm wondering how much of an advantage that might give …

Hey guys! I'm working on my college essay, and I want to write about a controversial topic that's really important to me. Will this hurt my chances of getting accepted, or will it show that I'm a thou …

Hello, I'm a junior in high school and I'm wondering if I should apply for merit scholarships. How do I know if I'm a strong candidate, and what should I consider when deciding whether to apply? Thank …

Hi all, I'm in the process of writing my college essay, and I'm wondering how personal I should get. I want to show the admissions officers who I am, but I also don't want to overshare or make them un …

I've had some mental health challenges throughout high school and I'm considering writing about them in my college essay. However, I'm worried it might be seen as a red flag by admissions officers. Sh …

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I'm wondering when I should start preparing for the college application process. What timeline should I follow to make sure I'm on track? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about applying to colleges. I've heard that you can get a fee waiver for college applications if you qualify, but I'm not sure how to go about it. C …

Hey, I'm a junior and I'm starting to work on my college apps. I was wondering if giving a creative title to my college essay would make it more impactful or if it's just unnecessary? What do you all …

I'm starting the IB program next year, and I'm not sure how many HL courses I need for the diploma. I've heard different numbers from a variety of sources, so I thought I'd ask here. What's the minimu …

My school doesn't offer IB courses, but I've heard that they can look impressive on college applications. Is it possible to self-study and take the IB exam without being in an official IB course? Has …

Hey guys, I've been working on my essay and I noticed I've been using contractions throughout the whole thing. It makes the essay feel more like a conversation, but I'm worried that it might come off …

Hey there! I know that some colleges require or offer interviews as part of the admissions process, but how important are these interviews in the decision-making process? Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I've been going to the gym regularly throughout high school. Is this something I should include on my college applications as an extracurricular activity or not? Thanks …

Hey everyone! I've taken a few online courses during high school, and I'm wondering how colleges view these on a transcript. Will they be seen as less rigorous or valuable compared to traditional in-p …

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I'm starting to research colleges to build my list. I'm not sure how to determine which schools are reaches, targets, and safeties for me. Also, how many colleges should …