CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Okay, so I had a few rough semesters during high school, and my grades suffered as a result (I'm talking about a couple of Cs and quite a few Bs). There were some personal and family issues I had to d …

Hey there! I tutor some students in math and science on weekends. Is tutoring considered an extracurricular activity, and should I include it on my college application? Thanks in advance for your advi …

I'm starting to create my college list, and I'm torn between large state schools with lots of resources and opportunities, and small liberal arts colleges that have a tight-knit community feel. I'm pl …

I'm about to submit my college essay and I'm curious if adding a title would make a difference. Do you think it's important or just optional? Thanks for your help!

Hello everyone! I'm currently a junior and will need financial aid for college. I want to apply to a few Ivy League schools, but I'm concerned that it might make my chances worse. Is there any truth t …

I'm a junior in high school, and despite my efforts, my GPA isn't as high as I'd like it to be. I'll certainly need financial assistance for college, but I'm worried that my GPA might make it difficul …

Hi everyone, I have a question about extracurricular activities for college applications. I've been going to the gym consistently for a few years, and it's a big part of my life. Can I include it as a …

Hello collegevine! I'm wondering how important class rank is when applying to college. My school doesn't rank students, but I know some schools do. How do colleges view class rank, and should I be wor …

Hi everyone! I'm a high school junior, and as part of my college prep, I want to practice writing research papers in the style that's expected at universities. Does anyone have advice or guidelines fo …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior, and I had to retake my pre-calculus class because I got a low grade the first time. How will colleges view this when reviewing my transcript? I'm looking to appl …

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior, and I'm starting to worry about the possibility of not getting into my dream college. If I do get rejected, how can I handle the disappointment and move forward? …

I've held a few leadership positions throughout high school and I was wondering how important it is to showcase my leadership experiences in my college essay. Should I dedicate a good portion of my es …

Hey everyone! So, I'm working on my college applications and I was wondering if it's okay to use the same essay for multiple schools? Is there any way for colleges to find out if I'm doing this and wi …

Hello fellow juniors! I'm just starting my college essay, and I'm curious – how long did it take you to write yours? I don't want to procrastinate, but I'm a little overwhelmed by how long it might ta …

Hey, I'm freaking out a bit. I got my first B in a challenging AP class last semester, and I'm worried about how badly it might affect my chances of getting into an Ivy League school. Do I still have …

Hello everyone, I'm a junior thinking about taking a gap year before applying to the Ivies. I have strong academics and extracurriculars, but I'm considering taking a year to strengthen my overall pro …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I'm starting to think about applying for financial aid. I know that getting a good aid package can be competitive, so I was wondering if there are any specific things I …

Hello everyone! I'm a junior in high school, and I'm trying to decide whether to take more AP courses next year or focus on my extracurricular activities. Which would be more beneficial for my college …

Hello there! As a junior, I'm starting to think about the dreaded college essay. I'm feeling a little stressed and unsure about how to approach it. I've heard it's important to tell a story that shows …

Hey friends, I'm super passionate about science, and I'm aiming for a top college to study biology. I also love painting and have won several local art competitions, but I'm not pursuing an art major. …