Official 2008 Questbridge National College Match Discussion and Help

<p>I've got this strange paranoia that QB's partner schools only look at students who rank their particular school #1. Unfounded? Do any of you know anyone that got a match to a school you ranked as #5 or so?</p>

<p>
[quote]
I've got this strange paranoia that QB's partner schools only look at students who rank their particular school #1. Unfounded?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Unfounded indeed. QB's partner schools do not know where they rank; QB only sends them your application, NOT your ranking. So they have no idea whether you applied to only their college or lots of others, or where they rank (#8, #2, #1, who knows?--except you and QB).</p>

<p>
[quote]
Do any of you know anyone that got a match to a school you ranked as #5 or so?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I know a few who were matched to their #3, #4, and #6 choices.</p>

<p>If I only apply to non-binding schools via QB, can I also apply EA to other schools?</p>

<p>Also, lets say I apply to MIT via QB, can I also apply to MIT EA?</p>

<p>what happens if an applicant only lists the non-binding schools (yale, princeton, notre dame, stanford) on the questbridge application and is admitted to at least one of these schools? can he/she still apply to other schools that do not participate in the national college match? considering that some colleges dont report admissions status to students until april, it seems unlikely to me that questbridge would allow winners to hold their full-tuition scholarships for that long...</p>

<p>theguybehindyou:</p>

<p>
[quote]
If I only apply to non-binding schools via QB, can I also apply EA to other schools?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>A friend of mine last year had this same dilemma, and so she emailed QB about it. The answer was no, you cannot apply to any schools early if you are going through the Match program, even if those you rank are non-binding.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, lets say I apply to MIT via QB, can I also apply to MIT EA?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you go through the Match program, no. The Match program is essentially ED (or EA, in some cases). Thus, there's no point in applying to MIT early; it's like submitting two applications RD. If you aren't matched, then you can apply RD to MIT.</p>

<p>If you do not become a finalist, then you can apply EA to MIT.</p>

<p>mc1600:</p>

<p>
[quote]
what happens if an applicant only lists the non-binding schools (yale, princeton, notre dame, stanford) on the questbridge application and is admitted to at least one of these schools?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The applicant would be matched to the school that he/she ranked highest and that also admitted him/her.</p>

<p>
[quote]
can he/she still apply to other schools that do not participate in the national college match?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes. The non-binding schools are that way so that the student does not feel obligated to attend and can make a choice; thus, after being matched to a non-binding school, you can still apply to schools RD.</p>

<p>I know someone who was matched to Princeton, but applied to Stanford RD, got in, and is now going to Stanford. (Of course, in theory, she could have applied to Podunk State, gotten in, and gone there instead.)</p>

<p>However, you really should choose your schools carefully for QB. Even though some schools are non-binding, truly be sure that you would attend if matched to them. Otherwise, you're taking spots that you don't want, spots that could be given to other deserving low-income students.</p>

<p>
[quote]
considering that some colleges dont report admissions status to students until april, it seems unlikely to me that questbridge would allow winners to hold their full-tuition scholarships for that long

[/quote]
</p>

<p>What do you mean? It is not QB that "allows" winners. It's the colleges. In addition, it's as though you've been admitted ED/EA and they've made a financial aid offer, which happens to be a full scholarship; they will hold a spot for you, and they will give you that scholarship if you attend. The assumption is, I suppose, that getting a full scholarship is attractive enough that they don't need to threaten taking it away unless you commit before April; most students seize the opportunity. Not to mention the whole point of their offers being non-binding is that you don't feel bound to attend and you can compare financial offers. That is one of the great holes in normal ED, but QB's program patches that up nicely.</p>

<p>I hope that answers your question. :)</p>

<p>kyledavid80, yes, that clears everything up for me. thanks!</p>

<p>thanks kyledavid80!</p>

<p>Yeah, thanks a bunch, kyledavid80. It's nice to know that the partner schools don't know their rank, because if they did, I would most likely change up my plans of how I rank.</p>

<p>Let's say that we list Yale as our number 1 choice and get matched there by some miraculous stroke of fate. However, Princeton, our number 2, also accepts us. </p>

<p>Can we decide to go to Princeton over Yale if we change our mind?</p>

<p>^ But how would you know that Princeton matched you (if you were matched with both)? I guess the only way you would know for certain is if you applied RD and princeton accepted you a second time</p>

<p>Yeah, I was wondering if we got to see whether lower matches matched us as well.</p>

<p>I just read that whole website, and I still have a couple of questions (though I think I know the answer to the first and am just in denial!)</p>

<p>1) The vast majority of these schools have binding matches. What if you've never set foot on the campus? My son thinks he'd like Pomona, but we don't live in Cali and obviously can't afford to visit it -- or we wouldn't qualify as low-income. I have a feeling the answer is tough luck.</p>

<p>2) Do you get invited to participate in the College Prep Scholarship? Any idea what the cutoff might be for getting an invite? My son took the PSAT as a sophomore and scored in the 190s.</p>

<p>TIA.</p>

<p>1) I think it is "tough luck." But you can generally get the sense of a campus through tons of online research or asking alumni or requesting brochures, etc.</p>

<p>2) You don't get invited. Anyone can apply for the College Prep Scholarship.</p>

<p>1) As I thought. :(</p>

<p>2) Excellent.</p>

<p>One more question. I read the criteria, and when I look at my son's expected SAT scores, he's in good shape. But he goes to a really competitive scbool and even with a quite respectable 4.2, he's not in the top 5%, as they seem to prefer. In fact, he'll likely be in the top 20-25%. Would being in the top quarter instead of second decile make him very unlikely to be considered?</p>

<p>As I've come to understand it, if you get matched to, say, your 1st choice school, you will never know if you would have also been matched to any of your subsequent schools as well. Now, as you said, if you are matched to one of the non-binding schools, you are free to apply during RD to ANY school(s) -- Questbridge or otherwise. But if you do it just to "find out if they would have accepted you," people will make oinking noises behind your back and call you a trophy collector. Bad karma.</p>

<p>theguybehindyou:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Let's say that we list Yale as our number 1 choice and get matched there by some miraculous stroke of fate. However, Princeton, our number 2, also accepts us.</p>

<p>Can we decide to go to Princeton over Yale if we change our mind?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If both Yale and Princeton accept you during the Match round, you will be matched to Yale; that's what the "match" is. As said, you won't know what other colleges accepted you or not if you get into your first choice (obviously, if you are matched to your second choice, then your first choice did not accept you; and so on).</p>

<p>If you are matched to Yale in the Match round and you get into Princeton RD, you may choose to go to Princeton over Yale. Note, though, that you cannot do this for all the partner schools--only the ones whose match offers are non-binding. Those schools are Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Youdon'tsay:</p>

<p>
[quote]
The vast majority of these schools have binding matches. What if you've never set foot on the campus? My son thinks he'd like Pomona, but we don't live in Cali and obviously can't afford to visit it -- or we wouldn't qualify as low-income. I have a feeling the answer is tough luck.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, the answer is, unfortunately, tough luck. That's why they tell you to rank only the schools that you are sure you would want to attend if accepted. This is the same advice given to anyone applying ED.</p>

<p>Also, many of QuestBridge's partner colleges have visitation programs for those who participated in the College Prep Scholarship (whether you won that part of the package or not). They're all-expense-paid, but not all of them have it. I don't know whether your son participated in the CPS. You might contact the schools of interest and ask them whether they have any all-expense-paid visits as your son is a high-achieving, low-income student who might be applying there through QuestBridge.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Do you get invited to participate in the College Prep Scholarship? Any idea what the cutoff might be for getting an invite? My son took the PSAT as a sophomore and scored in the 190s.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, you do not need to be invited. They only send out those 'invitations' to get more students interested; however, any junior may apply.</p>

<p>
[quote]
But he goes to a really competitive scbool and even with a quite respectable 4.2, he's not in the top 5%, as they seem to prefer. In fact, he'll likely be in the top 20-25%. Would being in the top quarter instead of second decile make him very unlikely to be considered?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, they will take into consideration the rigor of his school. I believe there is a counselor report that's faxed in.</p>

<p>Did anyone get the Swarthmore weekend visit application? Same idea as the WOW at Williams but different weekend.</p>

<p>^^ I was invited to those. I highly recommend any of those invited to apply. They're great programs.</p>

<p>@: ) Is that the Discovery weekend postcard thing? I almost threw that away...I didn't even see that there was an application inside!</p>

<p>Yes, there's a nice application waiting to be filled out. :) I believe it even asks for a transcript.</p>