Excuse my naivety, but how does this all work?

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
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<p>Hello, all. I'm a rising junior and have been recently looking into colleges and the college admissions process. I recently discovered Questbridge and I think I will qualify to be a finalist next year. I'm just slightly confused about how this all works.</p>

<p>Firstly, my household income is something like $30k/year, including my mom, who is on disability retirement and works as much as she is able (allowed to). My parents are not legally divorced but they are separated. We still talk to my dad, and he makes about $25k/year, working full time. My brother, who is in his twenties, lives with me and my mom, and makes something like $10k/year -- I'm not sure if he is included in the household income, since my mom supports him (I'm not exactly sure where his money goes...). But I don't think this matters much, because he should be moved out by the time I start to apply to colleges. </p>

<p>Anyway, I have great stats, good ECs, and I'm expecting fantastic recs and essays. I have a short list of colleges, most of which are coincidentally QB partners (e.g. Amherst, Vassar, Wesleyan, Swarthmore). Swarthmore is my clear first choice right now, and I'm confident that will not change, so long as when I visit I do not hate everything about it. </p>

<p>Firstly, do I sound like I'd be a QB finalist? I'm not sure what information I should include, so sorry if what I've provided is vague or inadequate. </p>

<p>Secondly, if Swat is my first choice when I start applying, would it be wiser to attempt to match through QB, or become a finalist, and apply ED using the Common App saying I'm a finalist? </p>

<p>Also, since QB match decisions are released in early December, and assuming I don't match to any of my schools, I know I would be able to apply to these through RD. Would I also be able to apply through ED2? For example, if I'm not matched to any of my ranked schools, could I apply to Swat ED2 with the recognition of being a QB finalist? </p>

<p>A big thank you to anyone who can help me. :)</p>

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<ol>
<li><p>Based on income yes, though we don’t know all your stats to give you a definitive answer. You should apply for CPS which will give you a good indicator of how qualified QB currently feels you are.</p></li>
<li><p>You have a better shot through ED. I too love Swat and will be applying to become a finalist but not participating in the match and am instead applying ED. Only do this if you are comfortable with the cost though.</p></li>
<li><p>Some QB schools (but not Swat) would allow you to forward your app to ED1 if you are not matched. If you are not matched you can apply to Swat ED2.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Let me know if you have any more questions, I was in a very similar situation last year.</p>

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<p>Thanks, ArtsyGirl13 for the response! I haven’t really looked into CPS, but I definitely will. I was, however, planning to do some research at a local university next summer (hopefully in neuroscience or cogsci – this is what I plan to study in college, and I thought this would be a good way to indicate that interest; I did some research this summer and I really enjoyed it, but that was in chemistry). Would it be more beneficial, in your opinion, to apply to CPS and attend a summer program? Thanks again! :)</p>

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<p>I actually did both! I applied to and got CPS but did not apply for the summer programs. Instead I attended the Northwestern conference and got Fein Fellow (which has given me additional resources including a computer and college counseling). This summer I went to a neuroscience camp and had a paid internship. You can totally do CPS and still do research next summer.</p>

<p>P.S. You are wonderful, you like Swat and neuroscience (you are basically a mini me)</p>

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<p>Aw, thanks! :)</p>

<p>And wow, that sounds great! How exactly did it work? You can PM me, assuming it’s not a crazily unnavigable system (I’ve never PMed before…).</p>

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<p>I don’t mind posting on the thread. By it I am assuming you meant a summer with several things (correct me if I am wrong)…</p>

<p>It defiantly has been a hectic summer. I took off the one week for neuroscience camp, which worked out surprisingly well because I had put in a ton of extra hours the week before, so they were okay with it. The camp was an amazing experience, I strongly recommend it if you can get to it easily enough (it is completely free, you just have to get there). As for the rest of my summer it has been fun, but crazy. I get to work at eight am, leave at 12:30 and go straight to a calculus class (I’m sort of happy that it is over) while having to work most weekends as well. Let me know if you have any more questions…</p>

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<p>Thanks! I forgot that by next summer I’ll have my license (well, okay, hopefully…), so transportation should be a little easier, although I don’t know about getting to Northwestern - I live in upstate NY. I’m envious that you nabbed a paid internship! Mine, if I can find a generous professor, will be strictly volunteering (unless I want to get a paid physics internship, but… no). </p>

<p>But by “it,” I meant, more specifically, the process of getting CPS but not applying to the programs. I also noticed that the Fein Fellow award is aimed toward Jewish students (I’m not Jewish); do you know if are there other, similar scholarships or grants? In other words, how does CPS work?</p>

<p>And would you mind sharing a sampling of your stats? I just want to see if I’m setting realistic goals and expectations for next summer and ultimately QB.</p>

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<p>The locations actually change from year to year, but are always hosted by partner schools so you might have an option closer to you. Also defiantly apply to Brain Camp (the neuroscience program I went to), it is in Allentown PA at Muhlenberg College (like an hour from philly)…</p>

<p>As for the process of getting CPS it was a decent bit of work but worth it. I am a hardcore procrastinator so I wrote my main essay and all of my short answers in the last two days, which was well interesting. Fein Fellow is only for Jewish students but there are similar things for other students. Fein Fellow is one of many Quest for Excellence awards, it guarantees more things (most will give you the laptop but not the other things, or in some cases a campus visit), but you can still apply for everything.</p>

<p>As for my stats, hopefully this won’t be too long, but here they are.
GPA: 3.85 uw, 4.25 w (I actually have taken a ton of honors/AP classes it just seems low because I take a lot of electives for my major)
Rank: 10 of 120
SAT: 1930 (680 CR, 660 M, 590 W)
ACT: 27 (27 E, 25 M, 27 S, 29 R, 8 essay), though that is now a 28…
ECs (there is where this gets long):

  • NAHS - Membership officer (10, 11)
  • Math Club - Membership officer (11)
  • Volunteer at The First Tee of Pittsburgh (TFTP)/Junior Advisory Board (JAB) at TFTP - VP of JAB
  • Diller Teen Fellow
  • Samuel M. Goldston Teen Philanthropy Alumni Group
    Awards:
  • Carson Scholar
  • Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Gold Key x2
  • Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Silver Key</p>

<p>Yeah, that was rather long. Hopefully that helps!</p>

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<p>Thank you so, so, so much!</p>