CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello, I'm a junior, and I'm trying to decide whether to attend a community college or a four-year university after high school. What are the pros and cons of each option, and what factors should I co …

Hey all, I'm curious as to why MIT, which is a prestigious institution, isn't considered part of the Ivy League despite its academic excellence. Is it because of the specific area of focus or some oth …

Hello! I recently took a practice SAT and I noticed my critical reading and writing scores were lower than my math score. These sections are pretty important for the major I want to pursue (English). …

Hey everyone, I'm a junior wondering if colleges have a preference between ACT and SAT scores. Should I focus on one more than the other? What's been your experience with this? Thanks!

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I've been looking into summer programs at colleges related to my potential major (biology). However, they're quite expensive, and I'm not sure if they would significantly …

Hey guys! I'm a junior in high school and starting to think about potential college majors. What factors should I consider when making this decision? How can I make sure I choose a major that's right …

Hey guys, I recently got a 1490 on the SAT and I'm wondering if that's considered a strong score for Ivy League admissions. Should I be satisfied with this or consider retaking the test for a higher s …

Hi all! I'm a junior, and my GPA isn't as high as I'd like it to be. I've faced some personal challenges that have affected my grades, and I'm wondering if I should explain this in my college applicat …

Hey everyone, I've just started looking into different colleges, and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Can you share your best tips or resources for researching colleges so that I can find the schools …

I've heard that certain majors are more competitive than others at some schools. Is it true? Are my chances of being admitted better if I choose a less popular major, or is that just a myth?

Hey everyone, I'm a junior interested in applying to engineering programs at Georgia Tech, Michigan, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Sadly, my SAT scores are quite average which is making …

Hello! I'm a high school junior from a low-income background, and I'm worried about the cost of attending a top-tier college. I know that these schools often offer generous financial aid packages, but …

Hey everyone, I'm starting to work on my college essays and I'm considering writing about a personal struggle I've been through. However, I'm worried it might come across as too negative or oversharin …

Hello everyone! I'm a junior with a decent GPA (3.7) but my class rank is not that great (top 25%). I'm wondering how much this will hurt my chances of getting accepted into competitive colleges. Do c …

I've been browsing College Confidential recently and have seen a lot of different opinions on admissions chances, extracurriculars, and essays. How accurate and helpful is this information? Should I b …

Hi there! I know that letters of recommendation are an important part of college applications, but I'm not sure how to go about getting strong ones from my teachers. Do you have any tips on how to bui …

I want to write about a challenging experience I went through, but I'm worried it might come across as too negative. How can I write about this in a way that shows my growth and resilience? Thanks for …

I've heard that colleges sometimes look at your social media profiles during the admissions process. I'm a bit concerned because I don't post much online, but when I do, it's mainly just silly stuff m …

Hey guys, I'm a junior in high school and I've been visiting some college campuses. I'm trying to get a feel for the campus culture, but it's hard to know if a college is a good fit just by visiting. …

Hey, I'm considering applying to Ivy League schools like Princeton and UPenn, but I've been hearing that transferring into an Ivy League is easier. Is this true? If so, what are the benefits or disadv …