UChicago / QuestBridge questions and concerns

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
1

<p>Hi All,</p>

<p>I'm applying to UChicago, my #1 choice, through QuestBridge's National College Match program (for those who don't know, it's basically binding ED to up to 8 of 33 top-tier schools that gives a free ride if accepted). I'm also considering liberal arts schools or LA-esque schools (Yale, Wesleyan, Oberlin, Reed (non-QB), etc.).</p>

<p>My concerns are as follows:</p>

<p>1) I may not get into UChicago in the "early" round;
2) If I rank more than UChicago (and Yale, whose QB ED is non-binding), I may get into one of my "lesser" choices;
3) If I rank only UChicago and Yale early, and then get into several of my "lesser" schools (and / or even UChic) RD, I may not get a full ride / an almost-full ride with no loans (I need one of these things to happen);
4) I may not get into UChicago at all, and if I make poor rankings / application decisions, I may end up at a school I'm not 100% comfortable with, and I may not get the financial aid I need.</p>

<p>From what I have read, I am well qualified, but I know that admissions are tough and have only been getting tougher. Here are my stats:</p>

<ul>
<li>97.5 / 100 GPA (weighted; no unweighted provided; no rank; class size 123, I estimate I'm 2/123, but again, no rank, percentile, etc. provided)</li>
<li>3 APs in both my Junior and Senior years, where for almost all students, the max is 2 per year (and we can only take APs starting Junior year). Only student to do so in my grade, and I'm the only student taking AP Calc BC in my grade.</li>
<li>2340 (770 M, 770 CR, 800 W) SAT I; 750 Chem, 800 MII, 750 USH SAT IIs (2300 SAT IIs). Average SAT I at my school is about an 1800, I think.</li>
<li>~200 hours of regularly performed community service throughout high school; fairly involved in school community; somewhat of a leader in community (founder and president of a club, have made several grade-wide presentations, working with faculty and other students on several aspects of our school's program, etc.)</li>
<li>~$33,000 annual income; both parents unemployed</li>
<li>first generation student</li>
<li>creative, polished essays and good recommendations from what I can tell (I have waived my rights to read the recs)</li>
</ul>

<p>With this in mind, I have a main question:</p>

<p>How should I rank my schools? That is, should I list only UChic and Yale, effectively taking a gamble? I am not 100% confident about my chances at either, but I feel I have much better chances at Wesleyan and Oberlin, for instance (Oberlin has a ~60% acceptance rate ED). The problem is that I'm somewhat ambivalent about such schools -- not sure I'd be comfortable at any for 4 years, mainly because of the social atmospheres and the slight lack of intellectual energy (relative to UC), though I like many aspects of them.</p>

<p>Another concern: If I rank only UC and Yale and don't get into either ED, then my chances of getting into the other schools RD are lowered, simply because it's RD. </p>

<p>Please advise. I know I am in a somewhat specific situation, but hopefully you will be able to address (some of) my concern(s).</p>

<p>Thank you for reading,
suluclacdna</p>

2

<p>Please think very carefully before ranking a school you’d be “disappointed” to be matched to. It sounds as though you have great stats and, although nothing at schools this selective is definite, a good chance of admission. You can look through this forum and see posts of regret from others who didn’t follow their gut.</p>

<p>And please don’t be discouraged if you are not matched. You will not be at a disadvantage in the regular decision pool - the whole point of QuestBridge is to give you an advantage in that pool. The real success rate of QB applicants is there. And the financial aid package will not be significantly different. My son was not matched and got into both of your top choices regular decision. You don’t want to be thinking “what if?” instead of celebrating getting into a great school like Oberlin…</p>

3

<p>Thank you for replying, scoutsmom.</p>

<p>My problem is that no school has “guaranteed” that if I get in RD, I will be offered no loans. It would really pain me and my family to take loans out, and our financial situation and the economic realities of America have made it tough to accept doing so. We have called up several schools and they’ve only said what you have – that the financial aid packages are similar for non-QB applicants and for QB applicants.</p>

<p>I do agree (though my parents don’t) that going with my gut at this stage – that is, just putting down UChicago and Yale – instead of filling up my list with schools that are more likely to accept me is better. Thanks for a second opinion. Another reason I might want to wait is that I’ve heard of many QB Match applicants being rejected from top schools in the early round, but then being (extremely surprisingly) accepted in the regular round. I wonder if this might help my chances, like you’ve said.</p>

<p>Could anyone else comment on this? (That is, the thread in general, but also my thought in the previous paragraph.)</p>

4

<p>Guess what? UChicago is not the place for you if you’re an undergrad. You will not get the attention you deserve there, because the professors have a natural inclination to prefer graduate students who have more experience in the respective field. You would be oing yourself a disservice, because the immense resources there will be unofficially closed off to you. I suggest a liberal arts college that has the same resources (in less quantity) but disproportionately available to only undergrad students.</p>

5

<p>Your stats are great and I’m sure you’ll find a good school, but don’t be so arrogant (and unrealistic). It pains everyone, and their families, to take out loans.<br>
Of course it would be great to go to college completely free, but for most, that is not going to happen.
If you honestly think Wesleyan and Oberlin are lacking, do yourself and those wonderful schools a favor - don’t apply.
Have you read the thread – don’t let this happen – by cptofthehouse?</p>

6

<p>DasRacist: I have heard otherwise, though I think UChicago would have fewer opportunities available than a place like Wesleyan.</p>

<p>sheepster: I’m not sure I get your point…</p>

7

<p>I would appreciate some more feedback, as the applications are due November 1st.</p>

8

<p>“My problem is that no school has “guaranteed” that if I get in RD, I will be offered no loans.”</p>

<p>I went to the Amherst fly-in event (DIVOH) and talked to several members of the Questbridge chapter there. They told me the financial aid was great, and the on-campus jobs weren’t bad at all – ex. they got paid to serve as Diversity interns for the program.</p>

<p>I’m not exactly sure about the “no-loan” aspect you’re dealing with, but UChicago has an Odyssey Scholarship (eliminates loans from financial aid package) that they provide for sub-$60,000 family income students. You’re most likely under that if you were accepted as a Questbridge finalist. </p>

<p>It’s not really that much a big deal in terms of finances whether you get matched or admitted through RD. The overwhelming majority of students who get matched via the NCM process have an EFC of 0, and thus receive full (or really close) ride scholarships to the schools they get admitted to, regardless of whether its through the Match or RD. The only pluses about the NCM process is (A) you have the opportunity to “ED” up to 8 schools (B) if matched, you know where you’ll be going months ahead of everyone else (C) you’ll be guaranteed a full-ride.
–Just because a student isn’t matched doesn’t mean he won’t get awesome financial aid. Likewise, I’d like to think that no school would offer a full-ride to someone with a financial situation that didn’t require it.</p>

<p>Hope that helped :]</p>