Hi, I have been working pretty extensively on the QuestBridge scholarship for about a week now, but just today, I learned that it was a binding decision if I am “matched” to a school. Obviously, I know this is my fault, so please forego any insults about my ignorance. I just wanted to know if it would actually be worth it to finish the application. I still have to write two essays (due September 28), but almost everything else is completed. I’m not very sure at all about which school I want to attend, though, and I don’t want to be stuck going to a school I hate. Any suggestions?
If you have great financial need, then QuestBridge may be your best option. At least you would have a school to “hate”, and an education.
Many poorer kids are in the position that there is only one school that they can afford. Even schools that guarantee to meet need can define need however they like, which may not truly meet your need. My daughter had sufficient aid from one; she hated it for the first year but by the end of sophomore year she was delighted with the place and with her friends.
Read this thread which has a lot of information on QB. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1812875-questbridge-taking-advantage-of-low-income-students-p1.html
And there is a separate QB forum you should visit.
If you are selected as a finalist you don’t have to apply using the match option. Four of the schools are non-binding - MIT, Princeton, Stanford and Yale, so if you apply to those during the match and are given an acceptance, it’s still your decision whether to accept or not. You can apply to any of the QB partner schools during the regular decision time frame and again have the choice of whether to enroll at any colleges which accept you. Of course you may also apply to non-QB colleges. Once acceptances come in there is some time to visit the schools before you’ll need to make your decision by May 1.
It’s worth writing the essays and finishing the application. Good luck!
There is a way to apply without the matches? I was under the impression that every applicant had to rank their preferred colleges and then they would hopefully be accepted by one of them. Essentially, you’re saying that if I’m selected as a finalist, I would have my choice out of all the partner schools?
I should also mention that I have way more options than just this scholarship. I am a NMSF and I have an ACT Composite of 33, so it isn’t like this scholarship is the difference between me going to college and me not getting an education at all.
@Racer33 you do not have to do the match. If you are selected as a finalist, you have your choice of applying to any or even all of the QB partner colleges. Acceptances are not guaranteed, but you may apply using either the QB application alone or together with the Common Application. You will be notified of admissions decisions on the regular dates for regular decision applicants which is usually sometime in March. You have until May 1 to decide where to enroll.
Okay, but what would be the advantage of doing that? Wouldn’t it be pretty much the same thing as applying for the school myself and then applying for my own FA package?
The QB application provides colleges with a lot more information about you than just the Common App alone. The Common App allows a maximum of 20 colleges whereas there is no limit on those using the QB application alone. As you have only two more essays to write to complete the application, I’m not sure that I’m seeing a downside to applying. The decision is obviously yours. You may want to ask your questions on the QB specific forum to get more feedback.
In Post # 6 it should read that you have the option of applying to any or even all of the QB partner colleges … as regular admission. You let QB know which colleges you’ve chosen and they will forward your QB application to them. You’ll be notified of whether they’ll also need the Common App and other application requirements. For more precise details I would suggest the QB forum.
Here is a personal anecdote about why QB might be worth it to you. My son was selected as a Finalist last year. Before the rankings were due, Amherst College invited him to visit for a weekend at their expense. Several other partner schools contacted him to encourage him to apply. He would have been happy to attend Northwestern or Notre Dame, and selected them along with the four schools that are non-binding. He was not matched to any of them. Hours after he was notified, the schools on his list (and other partner schools) contacted him again, encouraging him to apply. Some of them waived essays - all of them waived application fees. He was ultimately accepted at Amherst and Northwestern and wait-listed at Stanford and the University of Chicago.
Like you, he was also a NMSF who became a Finalist. Where QB really helped us was with asking for more scholarship money at Michigan State. By presenting the FA letters from Northwestern and Amherst to MSU, they were able to find scholarship money above and beyond the automatic scholarships for NMFs. His final FA package exceeded a full ride - money was refunded to him after scholarships and a small Pell Grant were applied to his account. He had enough money to buy books, a laptop, and put about $1,000 in the bank this semester.
Without QB, he would probably be at Kentucky. MSU’s NMF scholarships would have left us with a bill of nearly $10,000.
Individual mileage may vary, of course, but
But with QB he could have been at NU or Amherst! Strange choices, but that is another story.
Racer33, just don’t do the match if you feel very uncertain or just pick any of the 4 nonbinding for your match, you do not have to pick 8. If you are so close to done it doesn’t hurt you to turn in the QB application. It is another award and it gets the attention of the QB partners and other schools too, but the QB partners have a fuller picture of you.
@ErinsDad I don’t think that is a great thread to point to. It is just a lot of speculation, with one less tan ideal interaction, but I don’t think it is a balanced look at QB and what is can do. For in depth analysis, sure some of that kid’s notes are interesting, but there are many success stories in the QB forum and I think that is a better place to point kids wanting help deciding the match. I don’t think they need to get into if it is ‘fair’ or not for QB to charge partner schools and all.
@Erin’s Dad
That’s a terrible thread.
@Racer33
Take a look at this one instead.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/questbridge-programs/1537703-a-letter-from-your-fellow-quest-scholar-about-prestige.html#latest
Thanks for your help, guys! I will definitely finish the application.