Explore our collection of admissions FAQs. Each answer is expert-approved by our team to help you reach your goals.
Hi there, I'm considering applying to summer programs like the Stanford High School Summer College or the Harvard Summer School. How competitive are these programs? Do they require anything special in …
Hello! I'm a junior and I'm planning to take the SAT or ACT soon. I'm wondering what scores are considered good for top colleges. I know it varies, but can anyone give me a general idea of what I shou …
I'm planning to attend college next year, and I know I'll need a student loan to cover the costs. Do bad high school grades affect my ability to get a loan, or are there other factors lenders consider …
Hello all! I'm thinking about applying to Penn State, and I wanted to know if they are known for being a research university. If they are, would this provide me with more opportunities to get involved …
Hey guys, during my sophomore summer, I participated in a summer study abroad program in Spain. Would this count as an extracurricular activity on my college application? Looking forward to hearing yo …
Hey, I'm working on my college essay and I'm not sure how many paragraphs it should have. Is there a specific number of paragraphs that's considered ideal for a college essay, or does it depend on the …
Hey everyone, I'm a junior and I'm planning to attend some virtual college fairs this year. I want to make the most of these events and gather as much valuable information as possible. What are some t …
Hello everyone! I was thinking of writing about a time I failed and how I bounced back from it in my college essay. Is it a good idea to write about failure, or should I focus on a more positive topic …
I love making art in my free time and I've been doing it since elementary school. Can creating art be counted as an extracurricular activity for college applications, even if I haven't taken formal ar …
Hey everyone, I'm a junior working on my college list. Do you suggest including a mix of reach, match, and safety schools or just focusing on a few schools that I feel confident about? Any advice is a …
Hey everyone, I'm currently a junior, and I had some rough personal issues during my sophomore year that really affected my grades (mostly C's). I'm doing much better now, and my grades are back up, b …
When applying to Ivy League schools, how many extracurricular activities should I have on my application? I don't want to overwhelm myself with activities, but I also want to be a strong candidate. Su …
Hello! I just started putting my thoughts on paper and noticed that my essay is already looking quite lengthy. What is the ideal word count for a college essay? How long is too long or too short? Any …
Hey guys! I'm a high school junior, and I started off with a rough freshman year (2.6 GPA). Since then, I've been working hard to improve my academic performance, and I managed a 3.8 GPA during my sop …
Hey guys, I'm a junior, and I haven't taken any AP classes so far. I'm worried this will hurt my chances of getting into a good college. Can I still apply to college without any AP classes on my trans …
I've noticed that several of the colleges I'm applying to ask for a 'Why This College' essay. What's the best way to go about writing this type of essay? What type of information should I include? Tha …
Hey! I'm a junior who is considering applying to some Ivy League schools. I have mostly B's on my transcript but several extracurriculars, including significant leadership positions. Is it still possi …
Hello all, I'm a high school junior and I'm starting to look at colleges. I've noticed that some schools have lower acceptance rates, and I'm wondering if I should still consider applying to them. Wil …
Hello, I'm brainstorming ideas for my college essays, and I've heard a lot about avoiding cliche or overused topics. What exactly makes a topic cliche, and how can I make sure my essay is unique and i …
Hi everybody! I asked one of my favorite teachers for a recommendation letter, but I'm not sure if it's going to be strong. Is there any way to know if they wrote a good letter? Thanks in advance!