<p>Okay, today I received an invitation to the mail to apply for Questbridge, a program that helps high-achieving, low-income students get into competitive schools. There are a few partner schools that work with Questbridge, including Bowdoin College, which just happens to be second on my list of schools (Cornell is my first).</p>
<p>Now, the contract is binding so that if through this program I were to get into Bowdoin, I would have to go. No questions or exceptions. </p>
<p>Should this stop me from applying ED to Cornell, as I had been planning to? I really need an answer from someone who is familiar with the Questbridge Program, and who knows the logistics of the whole process.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!!</p>
<p>Here a link to the program's site: QuestBridge</a> Home Page</p>
<p>Here are your options: Questbridge has (sort of) two programs, ala most of the colleges themselves: the Match Program (ala Early Decision) and the Regular Decision Program (ditto). </p>
<p>First you apply to Questbridge itself by 9/30. By 10/30, they tell you if you are a "Finalist." If you are, you MAY (key word) participate in the Match (early) program. Or not. If you do choose to participate in it and you were to select Bowdoin (you may actually select up to 8 colleges in your order of preference), if Bowdoin returned the favor and accepted you (matched with you) it would be binding. Also, if you participated in the Match program, like any other ED program, you would be swearing not to participate in any other ED program (such as Cornell). </p>
<p>Another way to play it would be this: You could apply to Questbridge and if you were to become a finalist, you could tell them you do NOT want to participate in the Match program, but DO want to participate in the regular decision program. You could then apply to Cornell early. If Cornell accepted you early, you would rescind your Bowdoin/Questbridge regular decision app. If Cornell rejected or deferred you early, you could keep your Bowdoin/Questbridge regular app in play. </p>
<p>By being designated a Questbridge Finalist, you are being identified as a high-achieving, lower-income student by a group of colleges that have retained Questbridge to help find them such students in order to create greater economic diversity on their campuses.</p>
<p>If you want to learn more about the program, look through the stickied thread at the top of the forum.</p>
<p>It seems 4th house addressed your question fully though</p>
<p>Thank you so much, you answered my question perfectly. I'll be sure to also take a look at the sticky. :]</p>