CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hey everyone! I'm a junior in high school, and I've heard that some college admissions officers check applicants' social media profiles during the application process. I'm a little worried about what …

Hi everyone! I've taken both the SAT and ACT, and I'm trying to decide which scores to submit with my college applications. Do colleges have a preference between the two tests, and should I submit sco …

Hey guys, I'm thinking about applying to some summer programs to further explore my interests. I'm wondering if participating in these programs will have any impact on my college applications. Do coll …

Hi friends, I'm a junior and my grades during freshman year weren't great. Since then, I've worked hard to improve my GPA. Will colleges take my upward trend into account, or will my poor freshman yea …

Hi everyone! I'm looking to get more involved in community service, but I'm not sure where to start. Can anyone suggest some good volunteer opportunities that I should look into? Thank you!

Hello! I'm a junior in high school and I'm starting to think about paying for college. I know scholarships can be a big help, but I'm not sure what I need to do to improve my chances of getting one. W …

Hey friends! I'm a junior and I'm starting to work on my college applications. How important is the personal statement compared to other parts of the application like grades, test scores, and extracur …

Hey everyone! I'm a high school junior and I know that letters of recommendation are important for college applications. Can anyone share some tips for getting good letters from teachers or counselors …

Hey guys, I'm a junior and I have a pretty good idea of what I want to study in college. How do I find colleges that have strong programs in my intended major, and are a good fit for me overall? Any a …

Hello! I'm a junior and I'm starting to think about my college essays. I know they're a really important part of the application, but I'm not sure how to make mine unique and memorable. Any advice on …

Hey! I'm a junior in high school, and I'm starting to think about the college application process. I know that some students can qualify for fee waivers, but I'm not sure if I'm eligible. Can anyone h …

Hi all! I'm a high school junior considering taking a gap year after graduation to gain some real-world experience and personal growth. How do colleges view gap years on applications? Will it hurt my …

Hey everyone! I've been lurking on this subreddit for a while, and I've seen a lot of talk about applying Early Decision. I'm curious, does it really make a significant difference in acceptance rates? …

Hello! I'm trying to save money on college application fees, and I've heard that it's possible to get fee waivers. How do I go about getting a fee waiver? Are there any specific requirements? Any help …

Hey guys, I've been researching colleges online, but I haven't had a chance to visit any campuses yet. Do I need to visit a college before applying, or can I get a good sense of the school through onl …

Hi all! I'm a junior starting to work on my Common App essay. I want to make sure it's really strong and represents me well. Does anyone have any advice for writing a great essay? Thanks so much!

Hey guys! I'm starting to think about letters of recommendation for my college applications. I'm not exactly sure how to go about asking my teachers for one. Any advice on how to approach them and ask …

Hey applyingtocollege! I'm a junior planning to apply as a STEM major. I know it's a competitive field, so how can I stand out in my college applications? Any tips or experiences you can share would b …

Hi, I'm a junior and I've taken a few online classes throughout high school. I'm wondering how colleges view these courses when reviewing my transcript. Are they seen as less rigorous or valuable than …

Hi guys, I'm a junior and I'm already worried about how I'll manage my college applications and my senior year workload. Do you have any tips for staying organized and balancing everything without get …