CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hey guys! I've been looking at colleges and I'm worried about the financial aspect. How do I decide if a college is worth the cost, and what factors should I consider when making this decision? Any ad …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior who's been researching colleges, but with so many options, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. How did you find the right college fit? Any tips or advice would be much appreciated …

Hi, I'm a junior in high school, and I've heard a lot about the SAT. I was just wondering when I should start preparing for it? Should I start now or wait until senior year? Any advice would be much a …

I had a rough sophomore year because of some family issues and my grades suffered as a result. How can I highlight my persistence and improvement in my application, and explain the situation to colleg …

What's the minimum number of extracurricular activities that Ivy League schools would like to see on an application? Is there a number where they start seeing diminishing returns? I'm feeling stressed …

My GPA isn't as high as I'd like it to be, but my standardized test scores are pretty good. How can I make my college application stronger despite my lower GPA? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hello everyone! I am in the process of researching colleges and narrowing down my options. How can I determine which Ivy League school would be the best fit for me? I plan on majoring in economics. An …

Hey guys, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the Common Application's interface. Do you have any tips or helpful resources for navigating the platform and organizing information efficiently? I don' …

Hey everybody! I'm thinking about applying to Brigham Young University, and I was wondering if they are considered a research university. If they are, would that give students more opportunities to en …

Hello! I've been looking at colleges, and I've found two that seem very similar. How can I decide which one is a better fit for me? What factors should I consider? Thanks for your help!

Hey friends, I've received my financial aid offers from colleges, and I'm wondering if there's any way to ask for more aid. How can I approach colleges about potentially increasing my financial aid pa …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior and I'm trying to understand what college admissions officers are looking for when reviewing applications. What factors are most important and how can I make sure …

Hello fellow students! I'm a junior and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed with the thought of balancing school, extracurriculars, and college applications. How did you guys manage your time during this …

Hi everyone, I'm a bit stressed about my college essay. I've used contractions in it, and I'm not sure if that makes my writing appear too informal. Do admissions officers frown upon the use of contra …

Hi! I'm a junior trying to decide between some prestigious schools and those that may offer me better financial aid packages. How do I weigh the importance of financial aid and the long-term value of …

Hi everyone, my school actually ranks students by GPA. I'm currently ranked 25 out of 300, and I'm worried that this might negatively affect my chances of admission at highly competitive schools. How …

I'm working on my college essay and I want to use some abbreviations to keep it concise. Is it acceptable to use abbreviations, or should I spell everything out? I don't want it to look unprofessional …

Hey! I recently took the SAT and got a 1520, which I'm pretty happy with. However, I want to make sure it's considered strong enough for Ivy League admissions. Do you think my score is competitive or …

Hey everyone, I've heard rumors that colleges may be using AI detectors to analyze our college essays. Is this true, and if so, how can we make our essays more genuine and avoid sounding generic? Feel …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior and I'm hoping to play a sport in college. What should I know about the recruitment process and applying to college as a student-athlete? Any advice would be grea …