<p>demonsword55: according to this thread</p>
<p>some have already begun to receive invitations to summer programs. Of course, when you receive yours will depend on which college your invited to, but it appears the process has begun.</p>
<p>On the biographic essay, should I use the "show not tell" method and present a specific event and then expand on it?</p>
<p>Also, are the example essays on the QB site examples of biographic essays or "significant impact" essays?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Oh, one more question.</p>
<p>When it says "describe the context in which you have grown up," does it mean that I have to start from my early childhood, for example 6, and continue until now, or can I simply describe the past few years of my life until now?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Quicksandslowly,</p>
<p>Describe enough so that they can understand what you've had to put up with. This can be done by describing one event in your life or listing your entire life history, parts of it etc. If you look at a successful essay on QB's website, one College Match winner to Stanford described his chopping up the wood one day, then expanding it to describe his current situation and priorities to his family.</p>
<p>^Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Quicksandslowly:</p>
<p>
[quote]
On the biographic essay, should I use the "show not tell" method and present a specific event and then expand on it?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's one technique--try it out and see whether you like it. If you don't, rewrite it using a different technique.</p>
<p>Generally, though, "show not tell" is a good method. However, in a college essay with limited space, you can't do the "show" method the entire time--but you can "descriptively tell." In other words, you're telling, but you're doing it in an eloquent way.</p>
<p>For my main essay on the Common App, I started off with a short interaction in dialogue of two people speculating--which provided me the springboard for discussion of the topic at hand.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, are the example essays on the QB site examples of biographic essays or "significant impact" essays?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It doesn't say, but you can bet that the long ones are biographical and the short ones are the "intellectually exciting" essays.</p>
<p>
[quote]
When it says "describe the context in which you have grown up," does it mean that I have to start from my early childhood, for example 6, and continue until now, or can I simply describe the past few years of my life until now?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Either way. However, if you do that far back, don't spend too much time on ancient history. Explain enough to show the "roots" of the topic, but don't make it a large focus of the essay. You can focus on the more recent years and give a more panoramic view of the years prior to then.</p>
<p>azsxdc's advice is a good rule of thumb for biographical essays like those on the QB site. Make sure, though, to relate it to personal growth, your aspirations, etc.</p>
<p>I apologize if this question has been asked previously, but how many students out of the entire finalist pool get matched RD? How many students are there who end up with finalist status? Also, is the information available for individual colleges (in terms of EA/RD acceptances)?</p>
<p>Thank You!</p>
<p>Olve_Tree, all of your questions can be answered by looking on the Questbridge website under "National College Match." In 2007, less than 7% of applicants were matched early but a much greater number were matched in the RD round</p>
<p>
[quote]
but how many students out of the entire finalist pool get matched RD? How many students are there who end up with finalist status?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>There is no "matching" RD; the match round is in November. The number of students who get in RD has been 500 for the past two years. Last year, 1,792 students made finalist status (and I believe the total # of applicants was about 3,700--that was what a staff member at QB told me). So the rough numbers are:</p>
<p>Finalist status rate: ~48%
Match rate: 11%
RD acceptance rate: ~31%*
Match+RD rate: 39%</p>
<ul>
<li>This is assuming that all 1,588 non-matched finalists had their applications forwarded to schools for the RD round.</li>
</ul>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that while 500 students got into some QB school RD, many got into multiple QB schools RD. I believe that in the year before last, the average number of schools that students were accepted to RD was 1.5 (though I'm not sure whether this includes only students who got accepted to at least 1 QB school RD or all non-matched finalists in the RD round).</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, is the information available for individual colleges (in terms of EA/RD acceptances)?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The individual colleges release early/RD acceptance rates, of course, but not those for the students who participated in the National College Match. As I said before, I have also contacted QuestBridge and asked them to release statistics re: each college's acceptance rates and other statistics for each round (# who ranked each college / # accepted, # who had their applications forwarded to each college / # accepted, and the like).</p>
<p>What about percentage of students who were deferred by one or more of their chosen schools and then accepted RD? Is that information available?</p>
<p>Your amazing kyledavid80! Are you currently in Palto Alto right now - maybe Stanford? I'm going there next Monday! Yay!</p>
<p>Btw, I have two more questions... (Yeah, I'm totally new to this, sorry). </p>
<p>What are "varsity letters" or "letters?"
Also, for community service, should I just write down volunteer for the name, since I have done so many at many different places and just write down the total hours I have volunteered?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Olive_Tree:</p>
<p>
[quote]
What about percentage of students who were deferred by one or more of their chosen schools and then accepted RD?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's the RD acceptance rate: ~31%. But as I said, this is assuming that all 1,588 non-matched finalists had their applications forwarded to schools for the RD round. Some may have chosen not to have them forwarded to certain schools, or at all. That figure also assumes that students who were matched did not have their applications forwarded to any other QB schools RD--QB does say: "For students who are not matched, QuestBridge forwards their applications to the partner colleges that the students requested in the Application Forwarding section of their application." So it appears that QB doesn't forward applications for those who were matched.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, also, that even those matched may end up at a different QB school, or even a non-QB school. I know someone who was matched with Princeton, but is now going to Stanford. I don't think his RD acceptance to Stanford was counted in the 500 students accepted RD. (I think only those who had their applications forwarded from QB are counted in that figure.) Thus, QB finalists/match recipients who get in RD may also bring that figure up.</p>
<p>It'd be more useful, of course, to see the percent of student-acceptances--not just the % students who got in RD.</p>
<p>Quicksandslowly:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are you currently in Palto Alto right now - maybe Stanford?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Nope--won't be there until September. :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
What are "varsity letters" or "letters?"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm not quite sure what you mean--what's the context?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, for community service, should I just write down volunteer for the name, since I have done so many at many different places and just write down the total hours I have volunteered?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's something you could do. You could also list the major volunteering that you've done in separate entries, and the list the minor volunteering as "Volunteering (other)." Or you could list the volunteering with specific established organizations separately. Any of these would work fine.</p>
<p>Well it says,</p>
<p>
[quote]
"Include specific events and/or major accomplishments such as musical instrument played, varsity letters earned, etc."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And it goes on to a category that reads,</p>
<p>
[quote]
"Positions held, honors won, or letters earned"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm thinking it has something to do with sports, but I'm not quite sure what it is, and since I have been playing Basketball since the start of high school, I was wondering what "letters" were.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Yes, a letter is usually a sports award, though it doesn't necessarily have to be.</p>
<p>Varsity</a> letter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>This defines it as excellence in sports, choir, or band:</p>
<p>Letter</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>You can also see it in use for academic awards, e.g. "Letter of Commendation."</p>
<p>kyle...you're way too fast for me..at least nowadays.</p>
<p>Subscribe to the thread, like I did. (It's a first for me.) :)</p>
<p>Okay so I asked this question before, but I think I need to just make sure that I got this right:</p>
<p>On the QB application, if i chose for my app to be forwarded to a college, it will definitely be forwarded, regardless of what QB thinks of me, right?</p>
<p>Also, is the QB app out already? I see people are already asking about the essays, and on the site it says it'll be out later...</p>
<p>
[quote]
if i chose for my app to be forwarded to a college, it will definitely be forwarded, regardless of what QB thinks of me, right?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I believe so--definitely if you're a finalist, and I think also if you're a non-finalist. I emailed QuestBridge about this before.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, is the QB app out already? I see people are already asking about the essays, and on the site it says it'll be out later...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, it won't be out until mid-August.</p>
<p>Thanks, kyledavis80, you're too awesome!</p>
<p>I've been wondering ... Quest started out at Stanford, then, I think, it also had some affiliation with Harvard as well. For the College Prep Scholarship, they still send kids to Harvard for their summer program. So, why is Harvard not a Questbridge partner school?</p>