CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hello! I have a few hobbies that I'm passionate about, but they're not directly related to my intended major. Should I still include them on my college application, or will admissions officers view th …

Hi there! I'm a junior in high school, and I'm not sure what I want to major in yet. Should I apply to colleges as an undecided major, or is it better to choose a major before applying? Will being und …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I've been taking a few AP classes this year. I'm curious if colleges really care about these classes, and whether they'll help me in the admissions process.

Hey everyone, I'm a high school junior and I'm wondering if I can submit additional materials, like a portfolio or writing samples, with my college application. Is this allowed? Will it help my chance …

Hi all, I'm working on my college list and I'm worried that I might be applying to too many colleges. Is there a downside to applying to a large number of schools? How many colleges should I aim to ap …

Hey everyone! I'm a junior who's starting to look at the Common App, and I want to make sure I don't make any mistakes that could hurt my chances of admission. What are some common errors or pitfalls …

Hello everyone, I'm a junior and I've been wondering how important SAT/ACT scores are in the college admissions process. I've taken both tests, but my scores aren't as high as I'd like them to be. Sho …

Hello everyone, I'm a junior and I've been homeschooled throughout my high school years. How do colleges view homeschoolers in the admissions process, and are there any specific things I should emphas …

I'll be honest, my GPA is not the best but I really want to get into a decent college. Is it still possible for me to get into a good college with a low GPA? What can I do to improve my chances? Thank …

Hello, I'm a junior and I'm considering both public and private colleges. What are the main differences between the two, and what factors should I take into account when making my decision? Thanks for …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior and I'm trying to decide if I should get a part-time job or focus on my extracurricular activities. I'm worried that having a job will take away from my ability to participat …

Hey guys! I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about whether I want to attend an in-state or out-of-state college. What factors should I consider when making this decision? Are there any significant …

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I had a rough start to high school, but my grades have been steadily improving since then. I'm wondering how college admissions officers will view this upward trend in my …

Hello fellow juniors! I've been thinking about my college essay and I'm not sure how to make it unique and memorable. I want to stand out from the crowd, but I don't want to seem like I'm trying too h …

Hi guys, I'm a high school junior and I'm starting to research colleges, but I'm not sure where to begin. I know there are a lot of resources out there, but I'm not sure which ones are the most helpfu …

Hi guys! I'm a junior and I'm starting to research colleges. I want to get a feel for the social life and campus culture at different schools. What's the best way to find out more about this aspect of …

Hi all! I've heard that taking a foreign language in high school is important for college admissions. Is this true? And if so, how many years of a foreign language should I take? Thanks for any advice …

Hey guys, I'm a junior and getting more and more anxious about the college application process. I keep hearing about the importance of having a 'hook' to stand out in top-tier school admissions. What …

Hello collegevine! I was wondering, what are some effective strategies for showing a college that I'm genuinely interested in attending their school? I've heard that attending events and visiting the …

Hi all! I'm a junior, and I'm working on putting together a balanced list of colleges to apply to. How do I decide if a college should be considered a reach, target, or safety school for me? Are there …