A must read post from a high school senior

<p>Since I'm not sure how many parents do follow the Questbridge discussion on CC, I decided it would be well worth reposting this message.</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/5007992-post1227.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/5007992-post1227.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>All I have to say is ... WOW!</p>

<p>Given the fact that there are at least as many whites living in poverty as blacks and hispanics, if QB were really providing equal opportunities for poor students I'd expect many more whites to be selected.</p>

<p>I don't know questbridge from quickbooks but who cares?</p>

<p>Whatever school this young lady will be attending is lucky to have her. Society benefits when someone who can write this well is given opportunities.</p>

<p>I've never actually studied QB criteria, and had always thought it was only for URM's. My ignorance. I learned a lot from this posting.</p>

<p>I know many compete for few bucks, but I'm just imagining that an URM poster would be the last to begrudge any white applicant who gained entry through QB, so I'm not sure why Barrons is raining on this parade.</p>

<p>To be white with a single parent living with some kind of crippling disability isn't just about being poor and white, either.</p>

<p>Anyway, blind to all the data on available resources and numbers of applicants from each group of people, I'm just celebrating this one individual! Thanks to Xig for sharing it, too.</p>

<p>Xiggi,
I'll see your "wow" and raise you a "wow." What a special young woman!</p>

<p>The original thread for that post had much discussion of affirmative action and the like. This was in response to that. So it follows to ask if QB is supposed to be open to all poor disadvantage etc etc the winners would be more evenly distributed.</p>

<p>Xiggi you are commending someone who broke the rules (go back to the thread if you want to know why). Barrons I 100% agree with you however the minute you hint that its all about URM's someone will post a "story" like FDM to say "no they aren't". Pft I think it's a fake post lol!</p>

<p>From Questbridge's website

[quote]

What qualifies as "low-income?"</p>

<p>QuestBridge has no fixed limits on household income. We take many factors into consideration, including the size of a family, parents' level of education, and extenuating circumstances that affect a household's financial situation. </p>

<p>If you are interested in the College Match, it is important to note that our partner colleges are specifically aiming to provide scholarships to students who would otherwise have a very difficult time affording college. Last year, the 103 College Match Scholarship recipients had incomes ranging from $0 - $62,000 per year (gross income) but the range varies slightly from year to year. Like QuestBridge, our colleges take many factors into consideration when determining the financial needs of a student. </p>

<p>** Is QuestBridge only for minorities?**</p>

<p>No. QuestBridge is for students of all races and backgrounds. We recognize that students of all backgrounds face financial and circumstantial obstacles to higher education.</p>

<p>** Can I apply to QuestBridge if I am not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States?**</p>

<p>Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents (international students) may apply. However, only Princeton University and Yale University will offer College Match scholarships to international students. Most of our partner colleges use federal and state funds to finance a portion of the scholarships and these funds are only available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.</p>

<p>Although non-U.S. citizens are generally not eligible for the College Match scholarship packages, most of our partner colleges are open to accepting students regardless of U.S. citizenship status through the Regular Admissions Process. In 2006, more than a dozen QuestBridge applicants who were non-U.S. citizens gained acceptance and financial aid to our partner colleges.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>National</a> College Match Program: FAQ</p>

<p>Grtskt89, sorry, but you're wrong.</p>

<p>Go back here QuestBridge</a> National College Match - Regular Decision Table and read the last question in the table for each college where it asks "Can I apply Early Decision?" Many of the partner colleges allow it.</p>

<p>That is during REGULAR DECISION after MATCHES are announced. That is why they extend the ED date - some are more generous than others. What don't you guys get - one is the finalist/match round and if you aren't matched you move onto the regular decision round...they both aren't happening concurrently.</p>

<p>Good job, xig. Great post by the OP. $0-62k is going to get an applicant like this good money at many schools, but this QB program is sweet.</p>

<p>Barrons, I am afraid you missed the entire point of bringing this post here. </p>

<p>This had nothing to do with evaluating the merits of the Questbridge College Match program, but everything with showing the work of a very inspirational young person who ... understood what it takes to develop a competitive application.</p>

<p>And barrons, look at the pie chart:
National</a> College Match Program: 2006 College Match Recipient Profile</p>

<p>As you can see, whites tie with mexicans for the fourth largest share of the pie.
It seems like you need to do more research before posting.</p>

<p>Xiggi, I agree with you. Students like her are what QB truly is reflective of:
Teenagers who are mature enough to deserve a place among the best and brightest.</p>

<p>I did not miss the point. I was making my own point after reading that long post and the thread it came from which I had not seen as I never go to that area. As lots more people I interact with are here, I chose to post my opinion here. Yes it's a nice post. But I disagree with some of the content as it seems unlikely that so few poor whites would be selected if the program is truly colorblind.</p>

<p>Also given that there are more poor white families in the US than any of the other groups I would expect whites to have the largest percent of QB awards--not 4th all other things being equal.</p>

<p>Barrons, as you know, we probably can take any statistics and find enough ammunition to reach a pre-established conclusion. Even if it might displease some, it's a given that most selective colleges STILL believe they need to further their agenda of geographical, racial and economical diversification. I believe you'd be hard pressed to find a school that has stopped recruiting minorities or under-priviledged students. An astute reader will also find many OPEN disclosures by schools that participate in programs such as Posse and Questbridge. For instance, look at Pomona: </p>

<p><a href="http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Admissions/Forms/2011profile.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Admissions/Forms/2011profile.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
Applicants & Enrolling Students
Total Applications 5,907
Class Size 375
(188 Female, 187 Male)
Early Decision Matriculants 111
Posse Scholars 8
Questbridge Scholars 21

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Let's remember that is happening in an environment that has forced many schools to bury their "diversity" and "fall visitation" programs in an arcane underground world of "need to know basis." After all, isn't this what keeps Clegg/Chavez awake at night? </p>

<p>The obvious reality is that no program will ever be perfect. The same reality that no school system will ever be able to redress all socio-economic injustices that plague our country. In the meantime, I do believe that programs such as Questbridge do a whole lot of good as they do HELP a few thousands students finding the strength, courage, and tools that is needed to apply to our most competitive schools. Last year, there were more than 100 and this year more than 200. That is pretty remarkable!</p>

<p>Lastly, I believe that the lower number of caucasian applicants/finalists/winners might be tracked to the lack of familiarity with the program, and the possible confusion about the (racial) criteria with other large scale programs such as the Gates Millennium scholarship.</p>

<p>Yeah the way QB is marketed in our school is for URM's .</p>

<p>To paraphrase from a xiggi's PM:
ORMs compete with ORMs. URMs compete with URMs. Go blame your ORM brethren. I guess that makes me a target then :P</p>

<p>That's quite a liberal paraphrasing!</p>

<p>I personally find it discourteous to refer to a private PM on the board. The purpose of a PM is to be a private exchange between two parties. If the writer wanted it for the forum, they would post it. But worse is that a poster would quote a PM or in this case, "paraphrase" it when nobody saw the original. It just doesn't seem right to me to paraphrase another poster unless we all saw the poster's original text and then someone responds with a paraphrase. It seems unfair to paraphrase something that not only may be an interpretation that wasn't intended, but nobody sees the original. </p>

<p>It also seems like a big jump to discuss minorities and admissions practices, when I think the original intent was showing the kind of student who is accepted to Questbridge and her sharing of the experience as an example. I don't think it needs to be yet one more debate on minorities in relation to admissions. There are lots of threads already on that.</p>

<p>I'm fine with QB being a program to find qualified minority students and giving them aid. Just call it what it is and don't pretend anything different. I was lucky enough to receive a similar deal for grad school clearly directly only at minority students. It was all privately funded and it was great for me. I did not spend any time wondering about the fairness.</p>

<p>I agree 100% on the PM thing. Private means PRIVATE. Don't paraphrase or anything else.</p>