Official Questbridge National College Match 2010-2011

<p>No, you can’t revise your QB essays, however some of the schools will require their supplement where you can submit a new essay if you wish.</p>

<p>I have a question about the essays!</p>

<p>You know the biographical essay? Its longer than usual. What is the format of that one?
What should we include? Or should it be a story? Or a biography…</p>

<p>Does that mean we include our childhood, preteen, teens, high school too? Our hardships? Or is this a story telling essay about one certain experience like for the common app? Im not quite sure…so any help’d be appreciated!</p>

<p>and where exactly are we supposed to write about our economic hardships such as taking on a job for our parents, babysitting, preparing meals, traveling far for a better school…</p>

<p>PLEASE HELP ME!</p>

<p>Hard question to answer bloodymary, I can only tell you what my D (who was matched) did. She wrote a story about her love for reading and a contest in elementary school that showed her determination for achievement and excellence. One sentence in that essay referred to her being economically disadvantaged, otherwise she did not harp on it. That being said, write about you, and what shaped you, isn’t that your biography? It could be one event or a cumulation of your life. Only you can determine that.</p>

<p>I have an additional question on the biographical essay. It says to describe factors and challenges. Does this imply we have to talk about multiple factors, or can we home in on a single event?</p>

<p>^argh, disregard my post. I would edit this in, but I can’t. Sorry for double posting; it would be great if a mod merged them.</p>

<p>Hey I have a question: would it be wise to put on the Questbridge app that my family’s going through a bankruptcy? I’ve already noted that our house has -$300,000 in equity but would the bankruptcy make a difference in the app?</p>

<p>I think that would be worth including owlwise.</p>

<p>^Ok thanks I put it in. I have another question: on the essay sections where there’s a strict character limit does it matter if you put extra spaces between periods and the beginnings of sentences. Like if I start this sentence.But then don’t put the space in. Does it matter if I don’t double-space or even single-space between commas, periods, etc.?</p>

<p>If you are not picked as a finalist on October 22 (I think that’s the date), then are you free to apply ED anywhere?</p>

<p>2020 (Highest SAT. Terrible I know. 740CR/620M/660W).
Took ACT today, taking SAT IIs in October.
African-American.
Male.
5/50 (Top 10% Just Barely)</p>

<p>Varsity Cross Country Coach’s Award
Varsity Track
Art Club Member
Scholar Athlete</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Varsity Cross Country Lion’s Heart Award
Varsity Track
English Departmental Award
History Departmental Award
ACT College Readiness Award
NAHS Member</p>

<p>Junior Year
Varsity Cross Country MVP Award
NHS Member & Vice President-Elect
NAHS Officer: Service Coordinator
NAHS Spirit Award
English Departmental Award
Varsity Track
1st Place TAPPS 3-A District Art History
National Latin Exam Magna Cum Laude Honors</p>

<p>Senior Year (So Far)
NHS member & Vice President
NAHS Officer: Service Coordinator
Cross Country Team
Lit Club</p>

<p>My top 4 are Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT respectively.</p>

<p>Is it unusual for Questbridge finalists to have parents who have graduate school degrees?</p>

<p>[National</a> College Match Program: 2009 College Match Finalist Profile](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/students/profiles_class2014/finalist.stats.html]National”>http://www.questbridge.org/students/profiles_class2014/finalist.stats.html)</p>

<p>^According to QB’s 2009 profile, 68% were first generation college students. With that 32% that are not, I would assume that applicants with graduate school-educated parents would be even rarer.</p>

<p>^Thanks for the response.</p>

<p>can I apply to Questbridge if I am not low-income?</p>

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</p>

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<p>Yes, but you would usually have “faced economic hardship.”</p>

<p>[QuestBridge</a> National College Match - Selection Criteria](<a href=“QuestBridge”>QuestBridge)</p>

<p>Those that came from families with incomes >$60,000K/yr totaled to about 7% (which was not quite 180 people out of 2500 or so) last year. That was for finalists. In the matching round, 5 out of not quite 270 were match recipients.</p>

<p>RonaldA, I personally don’t think QB is the type of program people can give chances for. Actually I think that’s true of college admissions in general. Your test scores are not “terrible.” </p>

<p>Luminouzz, I do know there have been College Match winners who have had a parent with an advanced degree.</p>

<p>For all of you, I think it is important in this college admissions process to focus on what you have control over at this stage. That means putting time into crafting essays that show who <em>you</em> are as a person. It means managing your time well so you can put forth your best effort academically. It means figuring out which teachers will be best able to write descriptive rec letters about you. It may mean working hard on an extracurricular activity to which you’ve been dedicated. It may mean making one more push on an ACT or SAT.</p>

<p>Take a look at where you are. Figure out where you can make the most difference in the time you have available. For all of you, keeping your grades up is extremely important. As you craft your college list be sure to include a safety school where you know you should be admitted and able to afford to attend. This could mean your state U or a community college.</p>

<p>^I see, thanks.</p>

<p>One question: What do I write on the application if my parent attended more than one graduate school? It only provides space for one school.</p>

<p>^I think you should where your parent got the diploma. That’s what it implies to me, at least.</p>

<p>Quick question: do QB officials review the 30-word short answer questions in the same light as an essay, or are they there just because? I want to believe it’s the latter case, mostly because some of the questions are just weird (list your music), but I wonder if they actually take it seriously, especially the more philosophical ones (which historical event did you want to experience, and why?). I don’t want to jot down some random thing when someone else comes up with something brilliant like</p>

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<p>(I hope someone gets the reference)</p>

<p>Reference gotten! </p>

<p>Look at everything on an application as an opportunity to paint a portrait of who you are.</p>

<p>About how long does it take for Questbridge to respond to emails? </p>

<p>I emailed them asking about

  1. financial aid waiver policy
  2. a fax that I sent that isn’t showing up on my Locker page (they said wait 24 hours, I waited 3 days) </p>

<p>I sent the email two days ago, no response yet.</p>