CollegeVine Expert FAQ

Hi there! I'm currently contemplating whether to take a gap year before starting college. I would love to hear from people who have taken a gap year and how your experience was. Did it help you grow p …

Hi everyone, I'm a junior who's just starting the college search process. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of colleges out there. How did you guys decide which ones to apply to? Are there a …

Hello, I'm a high school junior from outside the US, and I'm considering applying to colleges in the United States. Can anyone help me understand how colleges evaluate international students? Are ther …

Hey guys! I'm a junior and I know this year is super important for college applications. Besides keeping my grades up, what else should I be focusing on to make sure I have a strong application? Any t …

Hello! I've heard that showing demonstrated interest in a college can help improve your chances of getting in. What are some ways to do this? Thanks for any suggestions!

Hello! I'm currently a junior, and I've been hearing a lot about 'demonstrated interest' and how it can impact college admissions. Can someone explain what it means and how much it actually matters wh …

Hi all, I'm a junior and I've started thinking about my college essays. I've heard some people say that essays can make or break your application, but is that really true? How important are they in th …

Hi there! I'm a junior and I'm starting to prepare for the SAT/ACT. I want to make sure I'm using the most effective study methods, but I'm not sure what those are. Can anyone recommend some good ways …

Hello, I'm a junior and I'm wondering how important class rank is for college admissions. My school doesn't rank students, but I know some colleges might recalculate rank based on GPA. Should I be con …

Hey everyone! I'm a junior in high school and I'm starting to think about my college applications. I know that colleges consider many factors when making decisions, but I'm curious about what specific …

Hey there! I'm a junior and I'm feeling a bit worried about my lack of extracurricular activities. I've focused mainly on my academics but I'm not sure if that's enough. How can I make my college appl …

Hi there, I'm starting to think about my college applications and I'm a bit stressed about writing my personal statement. Can anyone give me some advice on what to include and what to avoid? I want to …

Hello all! I'm a junior and I'm starting to put together my college list. I've heard that I should have a mix of reach, target, and safety schools, but I'm not sure how to categorize each college. How …

Hi everyone, I've been considering taking a gap year after high school, but I'm worried that it might hurt my chances of getting into college. What are the pros and cons of taking a gap year and how d …

Hello everyone! I'm considering applying early to some colleges, but I'm not sure whether I should go with Early Action or Early Decision. What are the main differences between the two, and how should …

Hey guys, I'm feeling a bit stressed about college applications. I'm currently a junior, and I want to make sure I have the best shot at getting into my dream school. I'm doing okay in my classes, and …

Hi there! I've been considering attending a community college for a couple of years before transferring to a four-year university. What are the pros and cons of this approach, and how does it affect t …

Hey guys, I'm a junior, and I've been involved in several extracurricular activities throughout high school. I want to show leadership in these activities, but I'm not sure how. Any tips or advice on …

Hello! I've noticed that many colleges have test-optional policies, and I'm wondering if I should apply to these schools without submitting my SAT or ACT scores. Would it hurt my chances of getting in …

Hi everyone! I've been researching colleges and I've noticed that some schools consider demonstrated interest in their admissions decisions. How important is this factor, and what can I do to show my …