If You Are White, Do Not Waste Your Time Applying to QuestBridge

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
1

<p>If you are white, do not even waste your time applying for the scholarship. I read another thread on this forum entitled "QuestBridge Sucks" and I should have gotten the hint myself. </p>

<p>Here is a quick run down of my stats:
I checked White European on the check box and this is the point they turned me down</p>

<p>All A's throughout High School (not a single B)</p>

<p>10 AP classes throughout highschool (6 in my senior year)
Passed AP US & AP World with scores of threes
Passed AP Lang & AP Geo with scores of fours
The rest of my classes were honors classes</p>

<p>SAT score of 1760 (yes, I know this was low, but I took it after breaking my right index finger and I even made mention of how I was able to keep up with my coursework and take the test with my non-dominant hand. I also mentioned I would be taking one in October, which I will recieve the scores back on Thursday of this week.)</p>

<p>Tied in rank for second out of 350 seniors at my school (top 1% of class)</p>

<p>Clubs: Computer Club (treasurer), NHS member, History Club (president & founder), Model United Nations (co-president), math team, It's Academic (on the team), recycling club, jazz club</p>

<p>Extracirricular: Pianist (8 years), community services basketball player (several years), self-employed website and graphic designer, unpaid intern at my local minor league baseball team</p>

<p>My parents definitley make less than their description of low-income (<60K)</p>

<p>I thought I did great on my essays. My English teacher and parents even kept saying I did well in presenting myself in them. I even included humor, like other people recomended, in one.</p>

<p>I mean, come on, how many finalists are actually taking all AP classes (at least 6, like me) their senior year? I can understand not getting selected by any of the colleges I ranked, but not getting accepted as a finalist of the QuestBridge program just flat out stinks.</p>

<p>I can honestly say I spent about two hours every day checking and re-checking my application for a period over a month. I poured my heart and soul into the application and the only thing I am taking away from it is a lot of essays (plus two teacher recomendations) that I am going to re-distribute to a whole lot of other places.</p>

<p>Congrats to the people who did make it through and get accepted as a QuestBridge scholar. May you match up with a college you enjoy going to.</p>

2

<p>I am sorry you were not named a finalist, but I do not agree with your advise. You see, my son was just named a finalist and he is a very pasty white! We also thought it was pointless, but he was named a Questbridge Scholar last spring and attended the Princeton Conference and is now a finalist. If we would have listened to those saying “don’t bother” he would not have these great opportunities today. He also checked the White European box, is NOT a first generation college applicant, and even comes from the Northeast. He also took 9 APs (all fours and fives), has a 32 ACT, top 5%, fantastic ECs, great essays, etc. </p>

<p>Most kids who apply to Questbridge have great applications. </p>

<p>Do not let those are disappointed with the process deter you from a potentially wonderful opportunity.</p>

3

<p>I’m sorry OP you didn’t make finalist status, but that is no reason to say it is a waste of time applying to QB if you are white. [2011</a> National College Match Finalist Profile](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-finalist-profile]2011”>http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-finalist-profile)</p>

<p>As you can see, 25% of finalists are white, second in numbers only to Asians. While your courseload rigor is excellent, unfortunately your SAT score did not correlate with your GPA. Good luck with your upcoming new score this week.</p>

4

<p>Sup dude. </p>

<p>I’m a reallllyy white guy, and I got the Qbridge finalist. I did aight on the SAT, wasn’t even in the top 10 percent of my class. Sounds like they just didnt think you were an impressive enough human being. Maybe you didnt have enough strife or something- achieving all of that is relatively easy if you dont have a traumatic social, economic, political, or mental trauma to have to overcome. A lot of other people do, and then they’re valedictorian inventor publishers- Quest bridge likes those people. Of course, some are subject to the arbitrariness of admissions- but that shouldnt result in an indictment of one specific institution that chooses to selectively admit, but the whole concept of selective admissions. They’re human too, just like you and your nonfinalist self. </p>

<p>Anyway, don’t call out race as an issue- thats racist in itself. I wont explain how- its kind of like tortuga, if you know about it, why do i have to explain? if you dont, how can you comprehend?</p>

<p>But yeah dude, they just didnt like you enough. Is it racial? Only the admissions counseor’s collective subconscious can answer that question. And unless you have somehow tapped into that subconscious, then I suggest you dont pull that card. If you have actually tapped into that resource- then oh my god you have a brain that really deserves to go places, or you have some secret technology that you developed that needs to be released to the general public. Im sure we can cure cancer if you’re right. But you’re prolly not so I’m not losing sleep over you complaining.</p>

5

<p>My stats are far better than yours, in terms of numbers and I just get rejected as a QB finalist today. I talked to some people and they said QB rejects people if they are overqualified and sometimes its just random. It sucks so much though. I feel you. I’m white.</p>

6

<p>It in not in QBridge’s nature to reject “overqualified” people. They are looking for literally the best people they can find, so they can send them to THE BEST colleges in the country. They’re looking for people who can get into Princeton, so they’re not going to reject overqualified people. Stats dont make you overqualified btw</p>

7

<p>Hi guys, I’m new to posting here but am a longtime lurker. I got into QuestBridge today, I too checked “White European” on the application and I want people to know that it is certainly possible for whites to get into QuestBridge. My stats too are:</p>

<p>Not first-gen. Income <50k.</p>

<p>All A’s throughout high school.</p>

<p>12 AP classes throughout high school (7 in my senior year).</p>

<p>Passed the 5 AP exams that I’ve taken so far with 5s (APUSH, Chem, Stats, Eng Lang, and Psych)</p>

<p>Most of the rest of my classes were honors classes</p>

<p>SAT score of 2370 and subject scores of 800 (US Hist), 780 (Eng Lit), and 800 (Chem).</p>

<p>Ranked second out of 470 seniors.</p>

<p>Clubs: Debate (secretary), Academic Challenge, Science Olympiad, TEAMS (engineering competition), French Club (secretary), Chem Club, Math Club, NHS (leadership committee), and National French Honor Society.</p>

<p>Decent volunteering. Summer job for 5 years and a Wikipedia contributor for just as many. National French competition finalist, National Merit Semifinalist, and Boys State participant.</p>

<p>I never read my recs and thought my essays were decent but could have been a little better. However, I didn’t obsess over my application and submitted it in mid-August so I wouldn’t have to. If you’re considering QB for next year, don’t be discouraged by racial considerations, give it a chance, but certainly have a backup option as well. That goes for anyone of any race.</p>

8

<p>Yeah, I’ve known a few people that are way more “overqualified” than me who have applied to QB, one white, and they’ve all got in.</p>

9

<p>@DasRacist - No offense, but you certainly sound like an intelligent individual. Not!</p>

<p>@GA2012MOM - Yeah, that pie chart is very informative. It does NOT tell you the number of applicants per race group, which is conveniently withheld.</p>

<p>@ to all you people with “mom” in their username - It’s interesting you are all the ones saying your sons/daughters got accepted on these boards. It leads me to believe, just like you are speaking on their behalf, you filled out the application on their behalf, too.</p>

<p>@DasRacist - I guarantee you I can get excepted to a few of those colleges if I apply there on my own. Amherst, and a few others, says they are need blind and completely merit based so I do not know why they took part of the QuestBridge program at all. I could still get a near or full scholarship just by forwarding them my application or starting a new one with them and they would never know I was rejected by QB.</p>

<p>QuestBridge itself does turn down more qualified people because people of a minority status “win” by default. The requisites for Caucasians are set disproportionately to a higher standard.</p>

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<p>JLK, can you cite where you got the statistic in your last paragraph?</p>

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<p>Wow, JLK, you are bitter!</p>

<p>My son looked at your post and simply said, “1760 SAT is the reason, it is that simple”. </p>

<p>And a “mom” that posts on CC “MUST” be filling out their child’s application for them? Really?</p>

12

<p>“QuestBridge itself does turn down more qualified people because people of a minority status “win” by default. The requisites for Caucasians are set disproportionately to a higher standard.”</p>

<p>I’m sorry, but a 1760 SAT is a bad score for pretty much anyone trying to apply to these schools. Good luck in RD.</p>

13

<p>I think the point of this thread is just for someone to vent and project their insecurities at others. This isn’t a substantive discussion on QBridge’s supposed racial profiling, it’s just an ambitious kid who is sad he wasn’t a finalist. It’s unfortunate, but your with thousands of other kids pal, it’ll be okay. Put yourself out there and do the best you can do, that’s all you can really do man. Good luck</p>

14

<p>Yes, I have “mom” in my name, and no, I didn’t fill out my son’s apps for him. He’s a QB finalist and very Euro white. I don’t know that he will be matched. And this is NOT meant to offend you. However, I feel that I need to say that as respectable as your (OP) stats may be, they are nowhere near as outstanding as the stats that most of the the top 15% of students at my son’s public school have. My son was an AP Scholar with Dist. (passed at least 5 AP’s) as a Sophomore. He has passed 13 AP’s with 4’s and 5’s by the end of his JUNIOR year. This year, he will complete another 6 AP/IB classes and self-study for 2-3 additional AP’s. I’m not going to go into his other state/national awards, test scores, hundreds of hours of comm. serv., etc. The fact is that, as upset as you are about not being named a finalist, there are many white, low-income students with stats, activities and accomplishments that are considerably stronger than those you mentioned. I’m not saying this to be insensitive to you but, rather, to point out the unfair and incorrect assertions you made in the title/comment you posted. As proud as you should be of your accomplishments (they ARE impressive), there are approximately 70-80 students in my son’s (unranked, relatively unknown) public high school alone who have accomplishments that are more impressive than the ones you listed. I am very sorry you were not named. So many deserving students were not named finalists, and very few finalists will ultimately be matched. However, I honestly do not believe that your race was the deciding factor in your not being chosen as a finalist. I do wish you great success in your college app process. You have every reason to be proud of your accomplishments.</p>

15

<p>your 1760 is as terrible as your excuse for it.
Your ECs aren’t special at all.
your AP scores also suck.</p>

<p>And from the stank personality suggested in this thread, I really doubt that your essays were great.</p>

<p>Get over yourself.</p>

16

<p>I’m European Caucasian, and I’m a QB finalist. Ranked ~10th percentile in my class, 3.974 weighted GPA, 35 ACT, 1990 SAT (bullpoop, right? retook october, get scores back on 25th). 4 years basketball, 3 years track, tutoring, math club, science olympiad, key club, quiz bowl, volunteering at local hospital. That really sums up my resume. Parents make just over ~20k, Mom is disabled (M.S.).</p>

<p>–</p>

<p>Edit: class schedules for context, sophomore: APUSH, junior: AP Chem, Econ, Psych, senior: AP Lit, Gov, Physics B, Calc AB, Bio. Most other classes are honors on my transcript (unweighted at my school). Counselor remarked when she took her first good look at my whole transcript, “Wow. You have taken the hardest classes offered, every year.” 5’s on Chem, Psych, 4’s on Micro, Macro, phantom 2 on APUSH (don’t ask)</p>

17

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<p>You got me! Five years ago I did indeed fill out D’s entire QB application. That was of course after doing ALL her homework in HS. My assistance continued in UG after she was a QB match, and I did that from 1100 miles away! But wait for it…I took her MCAT and got her into medschool as well. :rolleyes: Thank goodness she has somebody with “mom” in their username or she’d be flipping burgers somewhere.</p>

18

<p>I’m very sorry you were not named a finalist, but it is possible your attitude was part of the problem. For the record, my daughter was named a finalist, and she was matched, AND, she is white. A number of the applicants she met online, also matched, were also white.
As far as her stats, she received all '5’s on 9 AP exams, and one ‘3’. She had to take the SAT twice, but even her lowest score was far above your score. I happen to have a good idea of the stats that made it through the QB process, and most of the applicants had pretty high stats, And by the way, the non-white-, in some cases refugees from third world countries? Also high stats-at least a 32 on the ACT, and I would say at least 1400 CR+M. SATII’s were generally all above 750. And the one thing most of these people have in common? If they received a low score on the SAT/ACT SATII, they retook it. Again and Again. You, from what I can tell, did not bother, although 1760 is not really in the ball game for most of the QB schools.
As far as the essays, I’ve read enough of them to tell you that many people who apply to QB have had extremely difficult life experiences, and yet, they have managed to achieve at a spectacular level. Of all the giant scholarship packages, I would say that QuestBridge in particular is the least racially based. Having said that, I will say, that once a finalist reaches the match round, each college seems to have their own criteria for selection. Some, like Yale showed no racial preference, but other colleges did seem to be looking for certain geographic or ethnic types.</p>

19

<p>I’m not sure why my post miraculously posted itself before OP’s last post when I wrote it an hour or so after, but ditto what these other mom’s said. Is it logical to believe that if my son could pass 13 AP tests before his senior year (he will have passed 18-20 by graduation) that he needs his mom to fill out his QB application? Or that I will be taking his college classes for him? Or his PSAT, ACT and SAT? In your defense, I do know a lot of parents who do their kids homework/papers/essays in an attempt to bolster their kids’ grades (though, clearly, that was not the case with my son since his UW GPA was well below a 4.0 in his 26 Honors/AP/IB classes grades 9-11). But standardized testing is kinda hard to fudge. QB finalists who are scoring 4’s and 5’s on myriad AP’s and 750+ on 3+ SAT II’s probably don’t need their parents’ help with their apps.</p>