CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hey everyone! I'm considering taking a gap year before starting college, but I want to make sure I use that time wisely. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the most of a gap year and what acti …

I've noticed I used some abbreviations in my college essay draft and I'm not sure if that's considered acceptable or if it looks unprofessional. Should I rephrase my writing to avoid abbreviations, or …

Hi all, I just got my ACT scores and scored a 33. I'm aiming for Ivy League schools, but I'm not sure if this score is competitive enough. Should I retake the test, or focus on other parts of my appli …

Hey everyone, I'm a junior in high school, and I've always wanted to become a doctor. However, I'm really concerned that my poor grades so far might hinder my chances of getting into a good pre-med pr …

Hi all! I'm a high school junior, and I've heard that leadership is an important quality to demonstrate in college applications. I'm involved in some clubs and activities, but I'm not sure how to high …

I had some mental health struggles during my sophomore year, which affected my grades. Should I include this information on my college application or is it better to focus on my improvements without d …

Hey guys, I have a few college interviews scheduled, and I'm a bit nervous. Do any of you have tips or advice on how to prepare and make a good impression? Thanks in advance!

Due to scheduling conflicts, I'm considering taking some AP or IB courses online. Do colleges view these online courses differently than in-person ones, or do they still value the rigor?

I'm freaking out a little because I got a B in one of my classes. Is it still possible to get accepted to an Ivy League school with a B on my transcript, or is that going to be a dealbreaker? Any advi …

I've been teaching myself a foreign language outside of school and have become quite proficient. Is this something I can include as an extracurricular activity on my college application?

Hi all, I'm a junior planning on applying for a computer science major in college. I realize it's an increasingly competitive field and want to make sure I stand out among other applicants. Are there …

I'm a student-athlete looking into my college options and wondered if Ivy League schools offer athletic scholarships? I'm really interested in both academics and athletics and was thinking about schoo …

Hey guys, I went to a summer program at Dartmouth last year and I'm wondering if attending a summer program at an Ivy League school will improve my chances of getting admitted. Do they give any prefer …

Hello, I've been exploring Tufts University as an option for college and I'm wondering if it's known as a research university. How do the research opportunities at Tufts compare to other research univ …

Hello! I'm a high-performing athlete in a varsity sport, but my academics have suffered because of the time commitment. I want to compete at a high level in college, but I also want to maintain good g …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior trying to build my extracurricular list for my applications. I go to the gym regularly and I'm really passionate about it, but is this something that could be considered an e …

Hi everyone! I'm a junior and I'll be the first person in my family to attend college. Are there any specific steps I should take to prepare for the college admissions process as a first-generation co …

Hi everyone! I've been seeing the term 'research university' a lot while searching for colleges. Can someone explain what it means and how this type of school may differ from other universities in ter …

Hello everyone! I'm a junior in high school and curious about how colleges view class rank. My school ranks students, but I'm not in the top 10%. Will this hurt my chances of getting into a competitiv …

Hey, I want to make sure I challenge myself in high school but not overdo it with AP classes. What's the right number of AP classes to take to be seen as competitive for Ivy League admissions? Any adv …