CollegeVine Expert FAQ

I absolutely love the idea of designing my own coursework. Are there colleges out there with an open curriculum that don't require you to take a ton of gen ed classes? How does that work, and what are …

I’ve been aiming for Northwestern and I was wondering if they offer merit scholarships? It would be a huge help financially if I could get some merit-based aid. Does anyone know how competitive these …

I've just discovered the Coalition App and it seems like a good fit for me. Could someone list some of the schools that use the Coalition App? Also, I’m curious—if a school is on both Coalition and Co …

So I've been really involved in Model UN throughout high school, and I'm starting to think about college apps. Does having Model UN experience give any advantage or look particularly good to admission …

Constantly hear that 'course rigor' is a significant factor in college admissions. How exactly do colleges, especially top-tier ones, evaluate this in our transcripts? Is it just the number of AP/IBs, …

I’ve been hearing a lot about 'Public Ivy League' schools recently and I'd love to know more about them. Which colleges are considered 'Public Ivies,' and do they really offer an Ivy League-like exper …

Can anyone shed light on whether pursuing a BA vs a BS in Economics matters if I'm planning to go to grad school? Is one preferable over the other from an admissions perspective?

I'm in the middle of my IB Diploma program, sweating over my Extended Essay and all the IAs, wondering if all this effort will pay off. Do colleges, especially the really competitive ones, value the I …

Y'all, I'm a sophomore turning junior this fall, and I'm wondering what are some tried-and-true study strategies for the SAT/ACT. Are there any specific resources or methods that work best over a long …

Hey guys! As an ambitious freshman, I'm curious if anyone has been able to take AP classes in their 9th-grade year. Do schools generally allow this, or do I have to wait until sophomore year?

Hi! I'm getting my application together for UVA, and I'm a bit stressed about the recommendation letters. Can anyone tell me if UVA requires a recommendation from my school counselor, or are teacher r …

Hope you're all doing well! I'm looking into online graduate certificate programs, and I'd love to support HBCUs. Does anyone know of HBCUs that offer reputable online graduate certificate programs th …

Can anyone here share their knowledge or experiences with Interior Design programs at HBCUs? I'm really into the creative arts and would love to learn more about my options at historically black colle …

I heard from some seniors at my school that you can go over the Common App personal essay word limit and that it's not a hard cap. Is that actually true, or should I be strictly adhering to the limit? …

Hey all, junior here getting a head start on the college research process. Civil engineering is the dream, and I'm keen on attending an HBCU. I’m looking for a program that has an emphasis on practica …

Hey guys, I’m already thinking ahead about grad school for psychology, and I'm curious if anyone knows whether psych masters programs consider your PSAT scores at all or is it just undergrad that look …

Hey guys, I've been looking into HBCUs and I’m really keen on the supportive community and history. I'm curious if there are scholarships specifically tailored for minority students at HBCUs. Has anyo …

Hi everyone. I'm a little stressed because my SAT/ACT score is not as high as I expected, but I do have a strong GPA. What strategies can I use in the college admissions process to play up my GPA and …

Just curious if anyone's managed to check their AP scores before the official release date? I remember hearing some rumors about a method to do it, and well, patience isn't exactly my strong suit lol. …

Hey everyone, I'm starting to think about internships and I've heard that there are some programs specifically aimed at students from HBCUs. I'm trying to plan my summer and I want to take advantage o …