<p>I am sure there are plenty of threads on this subject already and for that I apologize but I needed some advising. I am considering applying for the QuestBridge National College Match but I am afraid that deviating from a more traditional admissions process isn't a good idea. My family has faced economic hardship when my dad died when I was young leaving us with only one income for two college age students. So my family makes less than 60,000 but we do have savings and I am neither a first generation college attendee nor do we make less than around 50,000. I'm wondering if applying to QuestBridge would be a waste of my time and resources especially if there is a low chance of my admittance. I'm also generally confused by the process. </p>
<p>What happens if I am not a finalist? Can I apply early to any school? Is it likely that I will be denied and should I just apply early decision instead of using QuestBridge?</p>
<p>What if I am a finalist but am not matched? Is that essentially a rejection from the school and I shouldn't apply? Can I still apply early? Should I bother applying at all if I'm not matched?</p>
<p>If I am matched is that essentially an acceptance? Am I assured to get in? Do I still send in an application through the common app or the school's supplement? </p>
<p>Do I have a chance of being a finalist/being matched considering I'm not extremely poor/ethnic/first generation? Should I bother applying or just do a regular process and appy early directly to my schools? Does QuestBridge make me more appealing or is it a waste of valuable application time and energy?</p>
<p>Thanks so much!!</p>
<p>There is a whole sub-forum on this topic inside the Financial Aid Forum. Here is the link for you: [Questbridge</a> Programs - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/questbridge-programs/]Questbridge”>Questbridge Programs - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>@tkuronen, here’s a flowchart that can answer your questions about the QuestBridge process: [National</a> College Match Flowchart](<a href=“QuestBridge”>QuestBridge)</p>
<p>I can tell you that my son was not “extremely poor/ethnic/first generation” and he was a finalist in 2010. He was not matched, but was accepted regular decision to 7 of the 8 QB schools he applied to and is now a very happy member of the class of Yale '15. It IS worth the effort if you are a competitive applicant to the QB colleges. Good luck!</p>
<p>Another option is to get fee waivers. I would also apply ED or REA to your top school if you have already looked at the financial aid plan. I guess I am not that familiar with the benefits if you don’t get matched.</p>
<p>Scoutsmom-Do you think your son would have been accepted without questbridge?</p>
<p>Lacrossemom, obviously there’s no way of knowing how much QB helped my son to get admitted; he had great stats, but then so did the 30,000 applicants Yale didn’t admit. But honestly, he wouldn’t have applied to Yale if he hadn’t attended the College Prep Conference there; that visit is what pushed him to apply.</p>
<p>My opinion is that QB was his “hook,” and for that we will be forever grateful to QuestBridge.</p>
<p>@scoutsmom: Did your son receive 100% financial aid through regular decision? Congratulations!</p>
<p>Yale has generous financial aid; families with income under $65,000 have a zero EFC. I don’t think there was much difference between the Match and Regular decision financial aid for our family.</p>
<p>@scoutsmom</p>
<p>So how much of the tuition has fallen on or your son/family? Has he needed to take out any loans or things like that?</p>
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<p>My son was a QB finalist, was accepted to 4 QB schools during RD and chose Brown. Our EFC is zero. My son is expected to earn $1200 per semester via work-study (or alternate means) and about $2700 over the summer to pay for estimated indirect expenses (books, travel and misc. out-of-pocket expenses).</p>
<p>About the same for us at Yale.</p>
<p>I have another question about Questbridge - once you are named a finalist and you apply to be matched with the colleges, will they see your Questbridge application as well? I know after you become a finalist you have to submit the Common App and Supplement for each of the colleges you rank, but will those colleges also see your Questbridge app? Thanks.</p>
<p>@Calvin, Yes, in December, you will have the opportunity to request that QuestBridge forward your QB app to whichever partner colleges you choose.</p>