I’m a College Prep Scholar and dream of attending one of the Claremont Colleges through the QuestBridge National College Match. My family of 6 makes around $36,000 a year, I’m first-gen, and my dad is disabled. I know the claremont schools and many other LACs even if they meet 100% of need, it is often with loans. I /really/ don’t want to have to take out loans, which is why I wanna do the National College Match.
It seems like the only people who get a match scholarship are POC. Is that just a coincidence, or is it really harder to white people to match? If any of you who have matched (I’m talking specificallly about match-- I am fairly certain I’d get into at least one of the claremonts RD judging from my SATs, grades, essays and ECs.) are white / know anyone white who was matched please let me know. I just don’t want to get my hopes up if there’s really not much of a chance to match as a white girl.
I don’t know where you got the idea that race determines who gets matched. If you meet the criteria, apply! It’s a great program, and yes, white students indeed get matched.
Those small student (not parent) loans are what help non-wealthy schools maximize their ability to meet full need for the highest number of students. That loan could be the reason you have full need met.
@gardenstategal I’ve met a lot of people who have been matched through the Questies facebook group, and I can’t think of one that was white. I’m going to apply, I just want to know if I should get my hopes up.
There’s a white girl in my son’s class who was matched and she’s on FB. Go for it!
By all means go for it with Questbridge. But even if you’re not matched, Pomona meets full demonstrated need without loans for all applicants. https://www.pomona.edu/financial-aid. Have you run the NPC at the schools you’re interested in? I believe that if you have an EFC of zero that CMC would not require any loans. http://blog.prepscholar.com/colleges-that-offer-complete-financial-aid.
@Corinthian Thank you so much! I don’t know where I was getting the loans part from. You just gave me the hugest reflief, haha!
EFC - $0 means they can’t ask your parents to pony up any money. However, you as a student are Pell-eligible, and they may expect a student contribution that can be paid either through a Pell loan OR subsidized work-study available to Pell recipients (or work over the summer).
You can replace the loan/work study component if you are smart. Apply for other outside scholarships, even if small, and your personal contribution may be waived. Apply for paid internships or coops, such as NSF internships, and you will make money off your summers.
@Helen13 I know all of that, i was specifically asking about the QuestBridge program though and being matched. thanks though!