@CMKingOfFl Just so you know: If you apply for NCM and become a finalist, you cannot apply to any other schools except Questbridge partners. If you’re matched to one of the schools you ranked, the decision is binding.
DECISION: ACCEPTED - Prep Scholar!
• School: Small Private Christian school in Virginia; Classical / Honors curriculum; Only 20 in my class. (Attend on Scholarship)
• PSAT: 1410 / 1520
• SAT / ACT – Had not taken when I applied (Current score 1320 – retaking soon!)
• Unweighted GPA: 3.8 / 4.0 (Weighted GPA: N/A -4.0 is highest possible)
• Rank: Top 15%; Do Not Rank
• AP / IB Scores: Not formally offered at my school, although curriculum is ‘college prep’
• Job / Work Experience: General Labor / yard work / furniture moving etc – 4 hrs/wk during school; 15-20 hrs/wk summer; Internship- Summer 2016 – 15 hrs / week (Youth Internship at my church); Family Work - Help my Father with errands; help him at his home (disabled Veteran in wheelchair) 3-5 hours/week after school
Awards / Honors
National Hispanic Recognition Scholar 2017
National Shakespeare Monologue Competition – 2nd Place, SW Virginia
Lt Governor 2018 – MGA / Model General Assembly, State of Virginia (sim to Boys State)
Chick fil A Leader Academy
Veritas Honor Society
Student Ambassador (tour new students / families, host school events)
Fides – President (School club, 30 members, plan weekly chapel / speakers / music)
Other misc
Extra-Curricular / Volunteer:
Youth for Vets
Make a Wish Foundation
Community / School Theatre – Various drama productions
Rescue Mission
Church Youth Council
Audio Visual team leader / church
• Essay: Growing up with older parents that had health issues / disabilities; the strength and self discipline gained from learning to overcome
• Teacher Recommendation: Strong; Although QB strongly recommends a teacher in a main course, I asked Head of Upper School to write it as he has counseled me privately and is one of the few that knows the hardships my family has faced…lack of father role model etc… Most of my teachers are not really familiar with how much we struggle. He also taught me in 2 courses previously.
• State: Virginia
• Ethnicity: Hispanic
• Gender: Male
• Income: 30,000
• Hooks: URM
• Strengths: Essay 8 out of 10; Leadership; Extracurricular; Academics are strong / consistent (but not Stellar lol); Raised by single mom
• Weaknesses: Mother did graduate college, we do own a home – so didn’t have those working in my favor.
• Why accepted / rejected: Well rounded? Truthfully, I’m surprised and still think it’s a huge blessing.
• General Comments: Selected for Emory admissions conference but cannot go as I am attending a program with Brown University on scholarship at that time. Hoping they allow me to attend a different conference as I really want to learn about the different schools!
@MaybeHarvard2022 - I am reading your comment that says :
**“If you apply for NCM and become a finalist, you cannot apply to any other schools except Questbridge partners. If you’re “matched” to one of the schools you ranked, the decision is binding.”
I knew that if you match, the decision is binding. But I have never head that just because you participate in QuestbRidge as a Finalist, you cannot apply to any other schools outside of QB? I thought if you decide to do QB Regular Decision, you can apply to other non-QB schools as well.
Can anyone else comment on this? I am not questioning @MaybeHarvard2022 - but really want to better understand this for next year. I have 2 small schools I am very interested in that are not QB partners but I could probably only go there if I got a great scholarship - but would like to still be able to apply and ‘see what I could get.’ Thoughts, anyone?
@yuiichiiros Your stats are really very impressive and I am convinced you are going to get into major colleges and get great $$ as well. The only thing I can think of as to why you were not chosen… In your essays, did you talk about overcoming any particular hardships? They do like to see that ‘ability to overcome’. Hardships can be financial, social, family, physical, etc… Then the other point as mentioned by others is strength of essays. I’ve always read that it helps if you write essays that evoke emotion. By that I mean - they feel the emotion of the story as they are reading it., empathize with you, learn more deeply how you have risen above a hardship, etc.
Overall, many of your stats are better than many of those that did get chosen -so those are the only two things I see. I think you have incredible things ahead!
What is the facebook page!? I’m interested in joining 
did any of y’all receive the essay help? If so, how did it appear on your acceptance?
Accepted!!! Congrats to everyone! Not sure if I will be attending the conference in Pomona as its a 4 hour drive.
@sugarysnow did someone say there was a facebook page and if so how do we get added?
Last years summer programs was annnounced around the 18th of May. I’m gonna do some digging to see if this is a pattern similar to prep scholars.
Decision:Prep Scholar
Objective:
- SAT I (breakdown): 1260
680 Writing
580 Math - SAT II: Taking the U.S. History, French, and Literature in May.
- Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.8
- Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 20-15%
Like… 65ish out of ~400.
Note: My school doesn’t weigh classes at all. So most kids at the “top” of our class have 4.0 but VERY easy courseloads. - AP (place score in parenthesis): um… O.O
AP World (3)
Taking AP English and APUSH test in May. - Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
Scholastic Writing Award in Poetry, Gold Key.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
*Job/Work Experience:
Worked at KFC for ~2 months in nearby small town.
- Volunteer/Community service:
I volunteer a lot at my church, Sunday School, Parties, and other events.
LEOS Club
NHS
Habitat for Humanity
Salvation Army - Summer Activities:
Work? Yeah.
I worked at my aunt’s taco truck when we traveled to FL.
Fanfiction writing - Essays:
Bio: I had a quote intro from a poem.
I then talked about how and why my mother came to the US. I made clear that she didn’t even finish the 3rd grade, so I’m definitely on my own in terms of my education.
I wrote about common language barriers, and how this led to my fascination with writing and linguistics.
I also wrote about how I received good grades and scores because I was not only ambitious, but HAVE to. I have nothing to fall on or with. We’re livin in a dirty trailer. I have to get the fam out somehow. - Teacher Recommendation:
French teacher. She’s the only teacher I’ve known more than a year. I was hoping my English teacher, but that woman hates my guts and writing style (she kinda racist too lmao). - State (if domestic applicant): Good ol’ VIRGINNY.
- School Type: Fringe-rural public high school (Like we’re basically just cows but also have a Wal-mart y’know fam?)
*Ethnicity: Hispanic
*Gender: Female - Income Bracket: ~25K for family of 6.
- Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, first generation (highschool, college, primary)
Reflection - Strengths: Definitely my ESSAYS.
- Weaknesses: Test Scores and ECs
- Why you think you were accepted/rejected:
Because Imma BOSS A$$ BIH.
JK. I really don’t know.
I guess my essays, due to my vuuury intense skillzz in writing. I’ve been published beforehand.
In addition, I volunteer a lot with my church, but hinted through short answers that I was very much atheist. But I talked about how I still wanted to help my community, even if it meant hiding what I felt. I also mentioned how praying and attending events doesn’t bother me at all, as I’m chill n laid back.
I guess this dynamic intrigued them too? - Where else were you accepted/rejected:
No where lmao. Ain’t nobody tryna affiliate themselves with my broke-a$$ self.
I’m applying for a Hispanic college prep thing in VA, and maybe a restaurant job.
General Comments:
It was a VERY SCARY but really dope experience. I was expecting to be denied, as I’ve been denied so many other opportunities. But I guess ESSAYS PLAY A BIG BIG BIG ROLE.
someone said they got a yale ygs acceptance through qb, anyone else?
So after looking at past scholars threads I’ve come up with this:
2010- May 10 (Monday)
2012-May 16 (Wednesday)
2013- May 12 (Sunday)
2015- May 13 (Wednesday)
2016- May 18 (Wednesday)
I couldn’t find anything for 2014, or 2011.
These are the dates that people in pass threads start mention being accepted or rejected into summer programs, not the actual dates info was released. If anyone else has different or more dates, please let me know.
The third week of May and Wednesday’s seemed to be a common theme.
does every college prep scholar get a summer opportunity?
@Southern5062 Sorry :^( I have no idea about the Facebook page. I only decided to make the 2017 College Prep Scholar Instagram to allow people to connect.
cough cough the instagram is questbridge2017 if you want to follow it <— Shameless promo ; )
@wypiposuck___ Didn’t get anything for the YGS scholarship either. If there was someone that got an email, it’s safe to assume we didn’t get it.
I think we’re looking at somewhere between the 15-19th of May.
Also, Fein program seems to be mentioned a lot a couple of days after prep scholars are announced.
Also, stuff related to colleges seems very sparatic within the forums. I guess you’ll find out whenever the colleges decide to announce visits.
I think with the ‘college visits’, QB gives them a list of scholars they recommend for paid visits. And all schools may get the same list (or may not - we don’t know) and at that point, QB steps out. So if you were nominated for paid visits, you could get invited to 0 -3 - 5 - who knows. But I think each school does their own visit invitations and there is probably no consistency at that point in terms of dates and who hears / and when.
Question about the Admissions Conferences: With the conferences, I know QB doesn’t pay travel - so does that mean no lodging in a dorm either? So we would have to travel with a parent and get a hotel room? It would be way too far for a day trip. I could take the train (7 hours) but I can’t rent a hotel room at 17 so at that point, this means a parent would have to come with me - right? Let me know if I am missing something.
Decision: Not Chosen
[} PSAT: 1510 (760 Reading + Writing, 750 Math)
[] SAT I (breakdown): 1580 (780 Reading + Writing, 800 Math, 15 Essay
[] ACT: 34 (35 Reading, 35 Math, 35 Writing, 35 Math, 30 Science)
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.97
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 out of 636
[] AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 Physics 1, 4 World History
[] Major Awards: State Spelling Competition 3rd Place, Area Spanish Spelling Bee 1st Place, District Math Competition 1st, Boys State, All District Soccer Team, School Merit Awards in Algebra 2, Spanish 3, and World History, Club Soccer Team Most Inspirational Player
[/list]Subjective:
[li] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Church Usher, Prayer Group, Varsity Soccer Starter, Club Soccer Starter, Special Education Club, Academic Competitions (math team captain)[/li][] Volunteer/Community service: Public Library, Food Bank, Soccer Club, and other events like Thanksgiving Dinner and Coat Drives (about 50 hrs/yr)
[] Essays: Pretty solid, not many hardships but I talked about my work ethic and how it’s grown bc of how I’ve seen my parents work hard as immigrants, also the yard work I do with my dad / short essays were also solid I believe / overall 8/10
[] Teacher Recommendation: from English teacher - I waived my right to see it but it must have been good
[/list]Other
[] State (if domestic applicant): TX
[] School Type: Public
[] Ethnicity: Hispanic
[] Gender: Male
[]Income Bracket: 40,000
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, 1st gen
Reflection
[] Strengths: academics and essays (I spent a lot of time on them), extracurriculars were decent
[] Weaknesses: assets - despite low income, we have substantial assets
[] Why you think you were accepted/rejected: assets
[] Where else were you accepted/rejected: no where else, really was hoping for opportunities through QB
General Comments: Congrats to everyone that did make it! I don’t think I’ll apply for College Match now.
Decision: Prep Scholar
Objective:
[] SAT I (breakdown):
[] ACT:
[] SAT II:
[] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):
[] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
[] AP (place score in parenthesis):
[] IB (place score in parenthesis):
[] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[/list][ b]Subjective:**
[] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
[] Job/Work Experience:
[] Volunteer/Community service:
[] Summer Activities:
[] Essays:
[] Teacher Recommendation:
[/list][ b]Other**
[] State (if domestic applicant):
[] Country (if international applicant):
[] School Type:
[] Ethnicity:
[] Gender:
[]Income Bracket:
[] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
Reflection
[li] Strengths:[/li][] Weaknesses:
[] Why you think you were accepted/rejected:
[] Where else were you accepted/rejected:
General Comments: