Hi guys, I’m contemplating how I should apply to my far reach schools. I got into the College Prep Scholars for Questbridge and Columbia is my dream, but the thing is I have other schools not on Questbridge that I would rather go to if I didn’t get in. So would it even be worth it? But enough talking, here are my stats.
Moderately competitive school, large public
Rank: 33/450
GPA: 3.9 UW, 4.4 W
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Income: Under 40,000
I, unfortunately, haven’t been able to test for ACT/SAT but here are my APs I’m planning on submitting:
AP WORLD: 4
APES: 4
AP PSYCH:5
AP CALC: 3
EXTRACURRICULARs:
French Club 4 Years, Secretary for 4
Competed at the French Congress 2 years, placed superior 2x and excellent 1
French Honor Society
Pierian Honor Society
Future Leaders Internship - Won 3 awards
Students Demand Action
Dreamers Defenders (Political Activism)
Garden Project (volunteer)
Track team (selected to run in 200m and 400m at every meet)
I’m planning to apply to the French major (I know there are two different routes but I’m still deciding which way I want to go)
It is too early for you to be worrying about this. First you need to apply and be a finalist for Questbridge.
So apply to QB in September. If you are not a finalist, then there is no dilemma - apply to #2.
If you are a finalist, there is about a 20% chance that you will be matched, and another 40% chance that you will be accepted RD to one of the colleges on your list. However, it may not be with your first choice.
At that point, you need to decide whether you should apply to #2.
However, if you prefer #2 to any of QB’s partner colleges, AND you feel that you have a higher chance of being accepted to #2 than to a QB college, AND #2 is an all-need-met college, don’t apply to QB.
What is the ED deadline of your #2? Because if you’re not matched you’re free to apply anywhere you like in any timeline. My D was accepted ED to a school after not being matched. In her case it was actually to a school that didn’t match her. Go figure.
I definitely prefer #2 over the other QB schools and it meets 100% need-based tuition, so I should go for QB, and if I don’t become a finalist I should apply to my #2?
My parents are divorced but one parent doesn’t financially support me at all and I never include them in my applications. I looked at the calculator and it said my parent has an expected contribution of 0$, but I’ll be expected to work off $3500, i guess that means work on campus in an office or something, I’m not entirely sure
From an admissions standpoint, Barnard ED sounds like a great fit.
But from a financial standpoint… ask them for a formal financial aid pre-read, before you consider passing up Questbridge Match to apply ED. You need confirmation that they will not insist on financial info from your non-custodial parent. Many colleges do require this, even if the precedent has been that they don’t support you, unless there’s a clear disqualifying circumstance with that parent (e.g. disability or incarceration). This is not the time to leave room for any unpleasant surprises.
I’m definitely leaning towards Barnards ED at this point. I’ll make sure to ask admissions/financial aid offices about that so I don’t run into any problems.
My experience with Barnard has been that they are insistent on Non Custodial Parent financials. I believe Questbridge uses PROFILE and also wants Non Custodial parent Info. This is highly likely to be a sticking point in your college process. Be aware of that. Start looking for schools other than Columbia and Barnard, both Highly selective, expensive schools and focus on some more affordable schools certain to take you. You have identified you reaches, now it’s time for the crux of college search, finding schools that you can like that will love to have you right from the get-go b
Oh absolutely, I have 4 reach schools, 6 target, and 2 safeties and I’ve started on supplementals. I’m going to look into getting more information on my non-custodial parent. I actually emailed Barnard’s financial aid office and they said “Barnard requires information from both parents regardless of divorce decrees, state laws or a parent’s unwillingness to contribute so both parent’s information would need to be submitted in order to receive an accurate estimation”.
You would need a third party to attest to that (lawyer, GC, etc.) to have a chance at any school granting you a non-custodial waiver. Without that, I would probably not apply ED.
Do you have any sense of that parent’s financial situation (income, assets, etc.)? If it’s very low it wouldn’t have much of an impact, if any.