Explore our collection of admissions FAQs. Each answer is expert-approved by our team to help you reach your goals.
I've been looking into pre-college summer programs at universities like NYU and Georgetown. While they look interesting and potentially valuable, they can be expensive. Are these programs worth the in …
Hello! I'm an international student hoping to attend a competitive US college. Are there any tips or advice on what I can do to stand out in the admissions process and improve my chances of getting ac …
Hey everyone, I'm currently a junior and feeling a little overwhelmed with the whole college application process. I have decent grades and test scores, but I'm not sure what else I should be doing to …
Hi all, I'm a little bit confused about when to apply to college. Can someone help me understand the pros and cons of applying Early Action versus Regular Decision? I want to ensure I'm making the rig …
Hey everyone! I have pretty solid leadership experience as a captain of my school's debate team and a co-founder of a community service club. What's the best way to highlight these experiences on my c …
Hey guys, so I need to ask a few teachers for letters of recommendation for college applications. What's the best way to approach them, and how can I ensure they write a strong and personalized letter …
I've been working at a local retail store part-time during the school year, and I'm wondering if this is something that colleges would like to see on my application. Does it show responsibility and wo …
My grades from freshman and sophomore year were not that great, but I've improved a lot since then. Does anyone have any advice on how I can still have a shot at getting into Princeton, despite my pas …
Hello everyone, I'm a high school junior and I'm considering the IB diploma program for my senior year. Can anyone tell me how many HL courses I need to take in order to earn the diploma? Thanks for y …
Hey guys, I've heard that writing about a failure can be a good topic for a college essay, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea. Should I write my college essay about a failure, or is it better to foc …
Hey all, I'm working on my college list and wondering how important school rankings really are. Should I prioritize them over other factors like programs and overall fit? I'd appreciate your thoughts!
Like many students, I had to take some pass/fail classes during the pandemic as my school switched to remote learning. How do colleges evaluate these types of classes when reviewing applications? Than …
Just got my SAT results back and scored a 1520. I'm pretty satisfied with it, but I want to apply to some Ivy League schools like Columbia and Penn. Is my score competitive for these schools, or shoul …
Hi everyone, I've seen the terms Common App and Coalition App come up a lot in college-related discussions, but I'm not entirely clear on what they are. Can someone please explain the differences betw …
Hello! I'm a high school junior and I'm planning on taking the ACT soon. I'm a little anxious about preparing for the test and I'm not sure what resources to use. Can anyone recommend some helpful stu …
Hi everyone! I'm a bit confused about the 'Additional Information' section of the Common App. What type of content should go here, and how should I use this space effectively? Thanks in advance for yo …
Hi everyone. I'm a junior, and the thought of applying to college has been causing me a lot of stress and anxiety lately. There are so many things to keep track of: grades, extracurriculars, standardi …
Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I'm worried because I don't have many extracurricular activities to list on my college applications. What can I do to make up for this? Are there any activities I can ge …
I'm passionate about photography and have a solid portfolio, but I plan to apply for a non-art major. Is it still possible to submit an arts supplement to showcase my skills, or is that reserved for a …
Hi everyone! I'm a junior, and I've been thinking about whether the prestige of a college really matters. I know some people say it's important, while others say it's not a big deal. What do you guys …