<p>Forgive me for asking, but what is your real life understanding and knowledge of Texas based on? I wrote earlier that I had difficulty following your post as I your position about the Gates Scholarship was diametrically different from my own … and I believe to know the program extremely well! </p>
<p>Now, the same occurs about Texas! And yet, I tend to agree on your “condescending” positions on the role of the GCs in general as I have often descrived them as the most obvious weakest link in the entire college guidance process. And weakest might be a proxy for a less charitable negative or even destructive, As far as excusing their abysmal performance, it is simply the same as people NOT liking to criticize Mrs Teacher or Mrs GC. We simply prefer to formulate excuses than accepting that many of those people do NOT do what parents are expecting, and what students DESERVE. </p>
<p>So, please share what your experience really is in small towns in Texas, or perhaps that you are merely speculating what the scene in Texas might be by extrapolating the process in other parts of the US. Please! </p>
<p>First, because the correlation and high(er) test scores to income is based on questionable and uncontrolled and unverified data, Most of the “data” is culled from polling teenagers abut the finances of their parents!</p>
<p>Secondly, the implication that high test scores are the results of extensive and effective test prep THAT DOES COST money. Nothing could be further from the truth! For instance, if you were to believe in the accuracy of the numbers of high scorers at UC Berkeley, their race, and the numbers of Pell Grantees, you might conclude that there are A LOT of quasi destitute Asians who ace both HS curriculum AND their standardized tests. Or that they tell the College Board something different than their parents share with Uncle Sam! </p>
<p>Third, and most importantly, the poor kids do not suffer as much from the lack of test prep as they suffer from the unequal access to the correct mentors, dedicated teachers, and the necessary voices to push them to excel! </p>
<p>Dadx, the participation fees requested by QB are not exactly affordable. While it makes sense for a rich school to “delegate” part of their selection process to a well-run and successful program, it implies the school has to believe it NEEDS more lower income students in the first place, and has the ability to house and educate them properly. In a nutshell, there are NO reason to believe that the UM or OSU of the world have much interest in QB or that they can offer much to make QB a better program. </p>
<p>Questbridge is filling a niche, but one that should not expanded beyond its current scope. The College Match has been a success, and so has the “ancillary” program for unmatched students! </p>