Official 2008 Questbridge National College Match Discussion and Help

Applying to College
481

<p>Let me take a whack at this one. </p>

<p>Let's say you are considering one of the LAC's, most of which have about 2000 students or a freshman class of around 500. If you go to their websites, you may be able to find that they have, historically say, taken about 35% of their freshman class EA (175 students). </p>

<p>Now, through QB, many of these LAC's are offering a full, 4-year guaranteed ride in the Match portion of the program. That means that, as repugnant as it may sound, if you were to hit the lotto during your sophomore year, you would still be going for free, even though another kid would have to reapply and have their means tested for aid each and every year. But let's not lose a lot of sleep over that; I think we all know what the odds are of hitting the lotto. </p>

<p>But since they are giving a guaranteed 4-year package, this college might only be accepting about 8 or 9 kids via QB in the Match round. Eight or nine versus 175; do the math. If we took the number of normal EA apps they get versus the number of kids who rank them via QB in the Match round, it might very well be that the pure mathematical chances for acceptance are better via EA than via QB Match. </p>

<p>BUT ...</p>

<p>You have colleges like Amherst bragging of accepting around 100 QB kids during Regular Decision. Again, do the math. This is a heck of a large chunk of their acceptances. </p>

<p>Again, these colleges have PAID QB to find them high-achieving, lower-income kids. They wouldn't be paying out that money if they didn't want that sort of kid to help balance out the profile of their campus. So yes, just like athletes, legacies, and oboe players, QB is a flag that is put on your app and it does help in the admissions process. </p>

<p>In the end, it's all a matter of getting in, not whether it was via Early versus Regular.</p>

482

<p>Ahh, sorry, I just need a clarification.
So when you apply to QB, you're not actually applying to the colleges, right?
So regardless of whether you are not a finalist, or you are, you can still apply Early Decision to the colleges of your liking, right?</p>

483

<p>Sorry, Can any one explain to me the essay question:</p>

<p>A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your background, please describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you (500 word limit)</p>

<p>I'm not sure if I got it correctly.. can anyone help explain what it means in a more concise term? thank you!</p>

484

<p>Zester:</p>

<p>Yes, you are applying to Questbridge, not to a college, per se. If QB names you a finalist, you then apply to their partner colleges. </p>

<p>That being said, the Match portion of QB is a type of Early program. The contracts you sign when you apply ED at most colleges state that you are not also applying to any other ED program. Thus, if you did ED AND Questbridge Match, you would be in breach of contract. </p>

<p>I can already anticipate your next question ... what if you applied to QB, were named a finalist, and indicated that you did not want to participate in the Match (early) program? The answer to that is ... I have no idea. Maybe it's a loophole; maybe it's not.</p>

485

<p>Weilly:</p>

<p>The best way to break down a question is usually to focus on the end of it. "... describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you."</p>

<p>This is the most concise portion of the question. </p>

<p>As I read it, to simply say, "I am Brazilian," for example, would not really answer the question fully. Yes, you being Brazilian would add to a campus's diversity since there may not be many Brazilian students there, but to flesh it out, it would be more proper to describe, for example, how you have taught people about your culture. The prompt begs for an example -- "show, not tell," the old classic line. </p>

<p>One might use the second choice of prompt if they are, in their own estimation, less able to point to an obvious way in which they feel they themselves bring diversity to a campus, but have strong positive feelings about the need to be educated in a diverse cultural environment. Again, it clearly asks for an example for you to show, rather than merely tell. </p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

486

<p>Thanks 4th house, now I get it.
Damn then, I guess I won't be applying to QB. Plus, they don't seem to have any exceptions for people who are in processing of their green cards so hence I wouldn't even fall into the Citizen/P.R. category >_>
Now I just have to find a subtle way to point out my financial situation on all my college apps xD</p>

487

<p>Exactly what do they mean for high achieving in terms of the gpa? Is a 3.4-3.5 too low?</p>

488

<p>Would any of those who went through the College Match process last year (or past years) be willing to look over one of my essays (biographical)?</p>

<p>Thank you</p>

489

<p>I have a question about applying to different colleges while applying through QB.
I want to apply to Stanford through QB, which is nonbinding, and I also have some other schools that I want to apply to, but not through QB...</p>

<p>Am I allowed to do this?</p>

490

<p>^ If you are named a finalist, you can only apply to QB schools early. If you are matched to Stanford then you don't have to attend and you can apply in RD and then weigh your options. </p>

<p>I have a question: Are the Counselor reccs QB assigns different than the teacher ones?</p>

491

<p>Does anyone know how many people with matched with Stanford, Yale, and Princeton in previous years and the total number of applicants who ranked them?</p>

492

<p>What if my son became a finalist but decides to pass the match process, then apply to say, Stanford's Early Action,which is non-binding. He believes it is easier to get in that way. He would forward all the schools he wants to apply RD thru QuestBridge except Stanford, anyone thinks this is going to work?</p>

493

<p>under the section for test scores, it says leave the score fields blank if you're taking the october sat/sat IIs and just put the date it's going to be taken. i tried that and after i Save & Continue, it's gone. what do i do?</p>

494

<p>I second jomudd88's question! Anyone know the answer?</p>

495

<p>demonsword55:</p>

<p>
[quote]
just out of curiosity, did anyone else get an email about applying to oxford through QB? if so, do you plan to apply? what kinds of stats would be necessary to be competitive?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Just saying, but this is probably about Oxford College at Emory University.</p>

<p>AmbitiousMind07:</p>

<p>
[quote]
so I was wondering how many long essays do we have to write and what is the word limit?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If it’s the same as last year’s, then you’ll have one 800-word essay and two 500-word essays.</p>

<p>Olive_Tree:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Question: What tests scores are GC supposed to fax? I thought we self-reported test scores?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Your counselor needs to fax your SAT scores or your ACT scores. See the application instructions:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.questbridge.org/ncm/application_instructions.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.questbridge.org/ncm/application_instructions.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
if we are chosen as a Finalist and apply to one or more universities, do we have the same chance (percentage wise) as if we didn't apply through QuestBridge?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don’t understand what you mean. Do you mean you are a finalist and don’t go through the Match program? Or that you are an unmatched finalist in the RD round versus a student in the RD round who didn’t apply to QB at all?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Why is it that so many few people get matched EA, yet so many of those who didn't get accepted later RD?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It’s not “matched EA”; it’s the match round, period. There are many possible reasons: the school has only so much money for full scholarships; not all the students who are finalists have a low enough income to warrant a full scholarship at some schools (each has a different policy); there’s an uncertainty in the Match round since they don’t know where they’re ranked (and the student may be bound to attend somewhere else), but in the RD round they have a better chance of getting the student; and so on.</p>

<p>4th house makes good points.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Does anyone know how many people with matched with Stanford, Yale, and Princeton in previous years and the total number of applicants who ranked them?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You can see how many people were matched with those here:</p>

<p>QuestBridge:</a> Students: Student Profiles
QuestBridge:</a> Students: Student Profiles
QuestBridge:</a> Students: Student Profiles
QuestBridge:</a> Students: Student Profiles</p>

<p>Unfortunately, QB does not release the # applicants that rank each.</p>

<p>infinitemishaps:</p>

<p>
[quote]
So even through RD, some QB colleges do not accept QB applications from international students? (I'm waiting for my green card, grrrr.)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That’s right. Amherst is one of them. </p>

<p>
[quote]
-fill out the QB Secondary School Report
-fill out the Princeton SSR (to be sent to Princeton directly?)
-fill out the Common App Secondary School Report (to be sent to Princeton directly?)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You’ll need your GC to fill out the QB SSR. Princeton accepts either its own application or the Common App, so whichever one you use, your GC will need to fill out that SSR. I don’t think you’ll need to fill out both Princeton’s and the Common App’s.</p>

<p>
[quote]
And if I don't get matched and I try to apply to other schools (UChicago, UPenn, etc) through RD, then would I need to have my teachers send in a Common App recommendation form to respective schools?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I believe so, given that the RD schools use the Common App. Unless of course those schools accept the QB app in the RD round from international students. You’ll have to email each one and ask, since QB’s site doesn’t seem to include that info.</p>

<p>Zester:</p>

<p>
[quote]
So when you apply to QB, you're not actually applying to the colleges, right?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>When you first submit the application, you are applying to QB; if you are chosen as a finalist, then you apply to the colleges.</p>

<p>
[quote]
So regardless of whether you are not a finalist, or you are, you can still apply Early Decision to the colleges of your liking, right?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No. If you are a finalist going through the Match round, the only colleges you can apply to early are those that you ranked on the QB application. If you are not going through the Match round (either because you didn’t make finalist status or because you chose not to go through it), then you may apply to other schools early.</p>

<p>cc3c:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Exactly what do they mean for high achieving in terms of the gpa? Is a 3.4-3.5 too low?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>There’s no cutoff GPA for QB. It’s going to depend on the rigor of your course load, your rank, and so on. Even if it is comparatively “low” (I don’t think it is), much more is going into their decision than GPA.</p>

<p>jhedream:</p>

<p>
[quote]
I want to apply to Stanford through QB, which is nonbinding, and I also have some other schools that I want to apply to, but not through QB...</p>

<p>Am I allowed to do this?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You can apply to the other schools RD, but not early if you go through the Match round (in your case, applying to Stanford via QB).</p>

<p>jomudd88:</p>

<p>
[quote]
What if my son became a finalist but decides to pass the match process, then apply to say, Stanford's Early Action,which is non-binding. He believes it is easier to get in that way. He would forward all the schools he wants to apply RD thru QuestBridge except Stanford, anyone thinks this is going to work?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>He would not rank any schools and just ask QB to forward his application to certain schools in the RD round. If he makes finalist status, he just won’t go through the Match round, and he’ll apply to Stanford SCEA, since you cannot apply to any early programs if you go through the Match round.</p>

<p>stasis:</p>

<p>
[quote]
i tried that and after i Save & Continue, it's gone. what do i do?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Email QuestBridge at <a href="mailto:questions@questbridge.org">questions@questbridge.org</a> since it seems to be a technical problem.</p>

496

<p>Thank you so much Kyledavid! I want you to know how much my son and I appreciate you helps. I am sure everyone else feels the same way, keep up the good work!</p>

497

<p>kyledavid: The email they sent specifically mentioned Oxford University in England. According to QB, Oxford will be cooperating with QB to offer one full ride to a QB applicant. I was pretty surprised when I read it too.</p>

498

<p>Thanks, kakaolo99. :)</p>

<p>demonsworld55, I'm surprised but happy to hear that! QB's site hasn't updated to show that, unfortunately. Do you mind posting the email?</p>

499

<p>THANKS kyledavid. I was hoping that with the rigorous courseload that I have taken, sats and EC's I could compensate for the less competitive GPA.
Kyledavid, you are probably very busy, but im anxious to get your opinion on my college essay. Thank you again!!</p>

500

<p>Thank you, kyledavid! I also second cc3c's comment about being anxious to hear your opinions on my essay!</p>