I need advice

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
1

<p>So I talked to my guidance counselor today about trying to apply for QuestBridge and her response was very depressing. She said that I don't meet the academic requirements (are there any?) of a 4.4 gpa and an high standardized test score. I told her that I will try applying anyway and am willing to put in the effort to do so.</p>

<p>GPA (weighted)
Freshman: ~3.2
Sophomore: 4.0
Junior: 4.12</p>

<p>Senior Courses: 7 APs (2 self study), 3 honors
ACT: 29</p>

<p>I want to know your opinions as to whether I should even try to do Questbridge. Any relevant response or support will do.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

2

<p>Yeah, I don’t think there are any academic requirements. Seems like your counselor arbitrarily chose a number.</p>

<p>I highly recommend you apply for Questbridge. I think about 40%+ of applicants are deemed finalists, and even if you’re not chosen as one, I think you can still forward your Questbridge app to partner colleges. It can really open doors for the socioeconomically disadvantaged student if your essays are compelling.</p>

3

<p>My stats are way lower than yours and I will apply for it.</p>

4

<p>Apply and your counselor is a disgusting human being</p>

5

<p>My kid never had a 4.0 GPA in high school IB program and was selected as a QB finalist this past year. Was also awarded some QB college prep scholarship stuff in 11th grade. My kid’s School counselor, who was otherwise pretty good, was unfamiliar with the program and tried to discourage using it until we educated her about it.</p>

<p>Ignore your counselor’s bad advice, plow thru the QB web site forward and backward until you really understand all parts of it. Read the parts you don’t think apply to you yet, read the FAQs, understand the flow charts. I noticed in the past two years that a huge amount of QB applicants and finalists don’t bother getting a really clear understanding of the entire program so they don’t really maximize their opportunities with it.</p>

6

<p>First of all, u don’t have to meet any requirements other than the income <60K. </p>

<p>I don’t know exactly how weighted gpa works, as my school only did unweighted, but here were my senior year (last year) and I was selected as a finalist:</p>

<p>Cumulative gpa: 3.8
ACT: 30
Math: 27
Reading: 33
Science: 31
English: 30
Writing: 8
SAT: 1270
CR: 650
M: 620
Writing: 740
Essay: 10
Class rank: 12/97</p>

<p>Jr and Sr year Classes: 5 AP total, rest were honors except for a couple</p>

<p>Community service: helped start community service project that got state and international awards. Roughly 400 hours of service</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: nhs, academic team, future problem solving team, community problem solving team, varsity tennis team, class officer</p>

<p>So although I did not have the best test scores compared to other candidates, I was still selected as a finalist. That being said, I had an ass-ton of community service, extracurriculars, and leadership positions…so those probably carried me. But writing a good essay and having good teacher rec letters help A LOT, and i’m sure those contributed as well. I poured my heart and soul into the main essay, almost to the point where it pained me to read it and I didn’t want anybody else to read it. </p>

<p>I really was not expecting to be a finalist bc, like you, I was really concerned with my scores and gpa. Just remember those don’t mean everything. Sadly though, I wasn’t picked as a college match and I didn’t get picked reg decision. BUT I do currently have a full ride at my current school, a school i’m happy with.</p>

<p>If u have any more questions, feel free to message me! </p>

<p>Good luck!!!</p>

7

<p>So, I highly recommend u do it. What do u have to lose? U never know what can happen…</p>

<p>Sent from my VM670 using CC</p>

8

<p>Apply Apply Apply! There is nothing set in stone as to academic requirements. You can refer to the pie chart to see where you fit in. I do suggest that you take the ACT again in the fall.</p>