Hello! I am currently a junior interested in applying into more competitive Ivy League schools. I am a striving future pre-med student! I plan on applying into the match program for QuestBridge. Obviously, I don’t know if I am a finalist or even in the program but would like to know what my chances of matching into a school would be. If I were to match then the cost of the school would not matter or be a factor when applying.
I would just like to know if I would even have a chance matching & what I can change before going through the process to strengthen my chances.
Due to the COVID-19 I have not had the chance to take the SAT, ACT, and other test. I have not had high PSAT scores at all, I am not the best test taker and never took them serious.
My GPA is a 4.0 unweighted and a 4.5 weighted.
I have taken 4 honor classes and 4 AP but next year I will be taking another 4 AP, so once my application roles around I will have a total of 4 honors and 8 AP.
My extracurriculars consist of:
4 year public service academy program & as a senior I will be taking EMT courses at my high school in which by the end of the year I will be sitting for the national registry test. I as well will have internships but that won’t be until the spring of my senior year so I do not know if I would include that in my application
4 year Skills USA member and a current officer, I have competed and placed first at regionals and state, I am as well a national competitor
Firefighting program which is a year long local college and high school course combined, I am one of the crew leaders in the program
I was class president this year but resigned and will be vice president this next year
I volunteer at my local hospital in the PEDS department (100+ hours)
I am a Kaiser explorer member and am trying to join next years board
I played volleyball 8th, 9th, and 10th grade (city & high school)
I am a National Honor Guard (top ten girls in my class)
I have volunteered annually at the Universal Studio Disaster Day as one of the “patient actors”
I as well was on my swim team for a season and swim off season, I was awarded most improved
I have received awards for my grades (honor roll) and academic honor roll
As I said before 1st place Skills USA regionals and state (group) and 4th place individually
I do not have any national awards or anything crazy like that so I fear my extracurriculars aren’t too strong
You will need to get at least one test score under your belt for Questbridge (and the Ivy League schools). Are you registered for any upcoming SATs/ACTs? Are you preparing for the or the other?
It sounds like you are focused on prestige. The only commonality among Ivy League schools is that they play in the same athletic conference.
What do you want in a school in terms of geographic location, size, setting, vibe, etc?
Whether you apply to Questbridge or not, you will need a balanced college list…one that includes 4-6 match schools, as well as at least one affordable safety.
Yes, I do meet the criteria to apply to Questbridge. I did have an upcoming date but because of the virus it has been cancelled. I do not have a preference when it comes to geography as much, I am open to most schools. Although I would prefer to avoid the most cutthroat schools there are. I do like majority of the universities they are partnered with.
Without a test score (what was your PSAT?) and EFC, it will be difficult to assess your QB chances…but sounds like applying would be a good idea…can your HS GC help you?
With that said, matching thru QB will be slim odds, and all QB schools will probably be reaches even if you achieve above average test scores…so you will need to find some match schools and an affordable safety.
What state do you live in?
Do you have any hooks like first gen, legacy, or URM?
I am not sure about the exact EFC but do know my tuition is paid for at most schools in my state due to being a low income family. I am first gen and have two sisters in school. One of them went to a four year cal state and her tuition was paid and she received financial aid. I am from California. The only way I plan on applying into these schools is through QB. I do have safety schools which will be schools in my area and cc so I am not worried about that. I am just trying to figure out if I would potentially even match with schools. I am not sure when I will have the opportunity to take the SAT, possibly over summer or next school year.
Probably. The match process is a great way to get the schools to evaluate your application early and for you to essentially get as many as 10 bites at the ED apple. If Columbia is #1 and they like you, done deal. But if they don’t, your second, third, etc choices are in the running until you match.
Students sometimes don’t match but then apply outside QB and have good results, but I personally wouldn’t hold out for that. I would recommend going back and looking at threads under Questbridge from previous years.
You can also ask as its own thread “Did anyone get admitted to a school where they did not originally match through Questbridge? Which one(s)?” Do this on the Questbridge forum.