CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hi there! I'm a junior who's starting to work on my Common App, and I want to make sure I don't make any mistakes that could hurt my chances of getting into my dream schools. What are some common mist …

Hey everyone! I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about writing my college essays. I know many colleges require a 'Why this college?' essay. How should I approach writing this type of essay? What s …

Hey everyone, I'm a junior and I've started thinking about my college essays. I'm not the strongest writer, and I'm worried that my essays might hurt my chances of getting into my dream school. What c …

Hi guys! I'm a junior, and I'll be taking a few AP exams this year. I'm a little stressed about how to study effectively and make sure I'm prepared for the exams. What are some study tips or resources …

Hey everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I've been trying to categorize the colleges I'm interested in as reach, match, or safety schools. How do I decide which category a college falls into, and h …

Hello everyone, I'm a junior, and I've noticed that many colleges have implemented test-optional policies due to the pandemic. I'm wondering how colleges view applicants who choose not to submit test …

Hi everyone! I'm worried about the possibility of being waitlisted at one of my top-choice colleges. If this happens, what should I do? Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of getting off …

Hello everyone! I'm a junior thinking about my college options, and I'm wondering if it's possible to transfer to a different college after my freshman year. If so, what's the process like, and how di …

Hello everyone! I'm not sure what I want to major in yet, but I know that some college applications ask for your intended major. How should I go about choosing one, and will it affect my chances of ge …

Hi all, I'm a junior and I recently took the SAT/ACT for the first time. How do I know if I should retake the test to improve my score, or if my current score is good enough for the colleges I'm inter …

Hey everyone! I'm a junior and I have one bad grade on my transcript that I'm worried about. Should I address it in my college applications, and if so, how do I explain it without making excuses? Than …

Hello! I recently got my test scores back, and while they're decent, I'm not sure if they're good enough to get me into my top-choice colleges. Should I retake the SAT/ACT to try to improve my score, …

Hey! My school doesn't offer many AP classes, but I've heard that colleges like to see students take challenging courses. Should I try to take AP classes online or at a nearby school, or will colleges …

Hello, I'm starting to feel overwhelmed with balancing my school work and preparing for college applications. How do you guys manage your time and stay organized? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi guys, I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about how I'll pay for college. I know financial aid is important, but I'm not sure how the process works. Can someone explain the basics of financial a …

Hi everyone! As a junior in high school, I've been thinking about who I should ask for letters of recommendation for my college applications. I want to make sure I get strong letters, but I'm not sure …

Hi all! I'm planning on taking a standardized test soon, but I'm not sure if colleges prefer the SAT or the ACT. Does anyone know if colleges have a preference between these two tests? Thank you so mu …

Hey guys, I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about my college essay. I've read some examples, but I'm not really sure how to make mine stand out among the thousands of essays that admissions offic …

Hey guys, I'm a junior and I've taken a few online classes throughout high school due to scheduling conflicts and personal interests. I'm worried that college admissions officers might not view these …

Hi all! I'm a high school junior, and I know that college rejections are a part of the process. I'm a little worried about how I'll handle them emotionally. Does anyone have any advice on how to cope …