Questbridge Finalist 2016-2017 Results

Decision: Finalist
Schools Ranked: Stanford, Princeton, MIT, UPenn, Duke, Columbia
Rank of Questbridge Essays (1-10): 8-9? I’m not sure, but I did work hard on it
Rank of teacher recommendations (1-10): 8 I think
Rank of counselor recommendation (1-10): 8-9 She knows me pretty well

Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.25 ish
SAT I score (composite, old SAT: R, W, M: old SAT 2220 (720, 730, 770)
ACT (composite, essay, english, math, science): HA no
SAT II (subject, score): Math 2, 790 and Physics 680 I think
Rank (numerical or percentile): 1/300 ish
All AP test scores: Calculus AB 5, Language 4
IB: nope
Senior Year Course Load: Health, Econ, APES, AP Calculus BC, AP Lit, AP Spanish
Major Awards: Poetry Out Loud States 4th; Wellesley Book Award; NMSQT Commended; (I don’t remember anything else tbh)

Extracurriculars: Founder/President of Asian Cultural Club at HS; Piano for 10 years (3 full-year local scholarships)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community Service: full-time pianist at 2 churches-- one in the Navajo rez and one local Korean

State: Arizona
School Type (public, private, online, etc.): public (right next to ghetto)
Ethnicity: Asian (Korean)
Gender: female
Income Bracket: about 43k in 2015, but Dad got a raise
Assets: HA nope
Extenuating Circumstances: uhhh I’m not sure what counts as “extenuating”, but I’m pretty sure we don’t have any
Stand Out Info (e.g. first gen college student): my brother’s in college, I’m a first-gen immigrant, our school (probably our entire state) has relatively bad education, I’m the only Asian at my HS, I was in ESL because I couldn’t speak English when I first came here (but that was in elementary school), I have been a part of the TAG program (which I think is not an appropriate name, but whatevs)

Why do you think you were or were not selected as a finalist?
That’s a really good question to which I don’t fully understand the answer myself. There are so many other people with amazing stats that are overqualified to be finalists. I think it partly has to do with my interesting background story (my dad was sent here as a missionary for the Navajo people, and that’s why we moved here in the first place) that was fairly well put together… also probably because I made sure all of my separate essays and short answers told them about different parts of me that tell my story as a whole. In my biographical essay, I wrote about moving here to the states, and in my 2nd essay I wrote about stereotypes and how I have dealt with it in my own way. In the short answers, I talked mainly about my hobbies and interests, including my seemingly abstract curiosity for physics (ha… ha… sorry). All in all, I think my entire application just made coherent sense and helped them picture me as a holistic person.

Just curious has anyone that did not match have one of their ranked colleges email them about applying for early decision? If so what college? Thanks

yes, columbia emailed me the same day of match results for ED

I’m late, lol, but wanted to post for anyone who sees this thread in the future and is wondering whether to do QB or not. DO NOT LET “lower” stats discourage you from applying!

Decision: Finalist/Non Finalist: Finalist
Schools Ranked: 12 (no ivies just liberal arts and few others)
Rank of Questbridge Essays (1-10): 6 (poorly written but had my message come across about overcoming challenges at home) (ended up rewriting it and sending it to)schools RD
Rank of teacher recommendations (1-10): 10, 8? ?
Rank of counselor recommendation (1-10): generic

Weighted GPA: 3.95
SAT I score (composite, old SAT: R, W, M; new SAT: CR+W, M, total essay score if applicable): 1140!!! (so low and took it twice and got the same score. So bad, I didn’t think I would be finalist)
ACT (composite, essay, english, math, science): took it after I found out QB results so doesn’t matter
SAT II (subject, score):
Rank (numerical or percentile): 45/684
All AP test scores: AP Psych, AP Lang, AP World, AP U.S history
IB:
Senior Year Course Load: AP Macro, AP Gov, AP calc bc, German IV, Anatomy AP Lit
Major Awards: Honor Roll??? lol

Extracurriculars: German Club, German NHS, Student Ambassador, Social Justice Club VP,
Organized donation drive at school for refugees in Metro Atlanta cities
Job/Work Experience: Interned at health organization in Atlanta, wrote articles to Asian community
Volunteer/Community Service: Refugee services in Metro Atlanta (volunteered at clothes closet for resettled refugees and at a kids camp for refugee children, took them to the ATL zoo, cooked, fun activities),
Daycare (teacher’s aid, led summer camp activities),
Volunteer at other events at a temple, Asian American festivals, refugee events etc.

State: GA
School Type (public, private, online, etc.): Public
Ethnicity: Southeast Asian
Gender: female
Income Bracket: around 35,000
Assets: none
Extenuating Circumstances: father has cancer, depression, and anxiety,
Stand Out Info (e.g. first gen college student): first gen, sister matched to QB school two years prior
Why do you think you were or were not selected as a finalist?
Probably because of my volunteer work, I showed a lot of passion for refugee services and serving in Atlanta. I really was not expecting to get finalist because of my low sat.

High Stats are not everything. I know kids who had perfect SAT scores but did not get finalist because of their income. If you are over QB income or don’t financially qualify DON’T apply!! Kids end up getting disappointed. It isn’t because you are not a great applicant, it is because QB is for low-income students, that’s the whole point of the scholarship. You will waste your time and the person reading your application. But good luck to anyone in their college journey.