If you are selected a finalist how do you go about applying to your ranked schools? Do you still have to fill out one of the Common App essays or does QB offer its own essays?
Check the application requirements for each partner school. Some (few, I think) schools require only the QB NCM app, while others have supplemental requirements.
To answer your first question, you rank your schools in the NCM app. There’s a rank section with 12 drop down boxes, where you select a school for each slot.