CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello everyone, I've been stressing over my college essays recently, and I'm curious how much they actually matter in the admissions process. Are they just one aspect of the application that doesn't h …

Hey guys! I'm a junior and I'm planning to take a standardized test soon, but I'm not sure whether I should take the SAT or ACT. Can anyone explain the main differences between the two and help me dec …

Hey guys, I'm a junior trying to decide between AP and IB courses for my senior year and I was wondering if one program is generally considered more difficult than the other. What are your experiences …

Hey guys! I've been volunteering at my local church as a youth leader for the past couple of years, and I was wondering if that would be considered an extracurricular activity when applying to college …

Hi! I'm polishing my college essay and I noticed that I have a couple of abbreviations in there. Is it okay to use abbreviations in a college essay, or should I write everything out? Thank you for you …

Hi everyone! My parents and I are planning on visiting some colleges this summer, and I'm not quite sure what to expect. What should I be looking for during these visits, and how can I make the most o …

Hello everyone! I'm a high school junior, and I've been wondering: do colleges prefer students who take AP courses or those who take the IB program? I've been taking a mix of both, and I'm not sure if …

Hey guys! I'm a junior, and I'm starting to research scholarships. I've seen both need-based and merit-based scholarships, but I'm not sure which one I should focus on. What are the key differences be …

Hi everyone, I have a part-time job after school, and I'm wondering if that can be considered an extracurricular activity for my college applications? Thanks for any input you can provide!

Hey guys! I've done a lot of volunteer work throughout high school, and I'm wondering how colleges verify the hours I've put in. Do they contact the organizations I've worked with, or do I need to pro …

I want to make sure I'm putting my best foot forward in my college applications. Are there any common mistakes that I should be aware of and avoid? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I need to ask some of my teachers for letters of recommendation, but I'm not sure how to approach them. Any advice on how to ask for a recommendation in a polite and effective way?

I want to make sure my college essay is original and stands out from the thousands of other applicants. What are some cliches or overused topics that I should avoid including in my essay? Any advice w …

I've been practicing yoga for several years and have even participated in some local competitions. Is this something that could be considered an extracurricular activity on my college applications?

Hi everyone, I'm struggling to choose a topic for my college essay. I was wondering if there's any specific topic that colleges prefer or a certain theme I should focus on? Thanks in advance!

Hey guys! I'm trying to decide between taking some challenging AP courses or focusing on maintaining a high GPA by taking regular classes. What do you think colleges prefer? Thanks for your help!

Hey everyone! I've been thinking about how many colleges I should apply to, and I'm not sure what the right number is. Some people say to apply to as many as possible, while others suggest focusing on …

As a junior, I want to use the summer and early senior year to improve my college application. What are some things I should focus on, besides working on my essay? Are there any must-do's for preparin …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior starting to think about writing my college essays. Can anyone recommend some resources or methods to help brainstorm ideas and topics? I'm slightly overwhelmed an …

Greetings! I volunteer at my local church every week and help with various activities. I'm really dedicated to this and was wondering if this can be counted as an extracurricular activity on college a …