What is Questbridge?

Paying for College
1

<p>I got an e-mail from Questbridge today,</p>

<p>
[quote]
We would like to invite you to apply for admission to some of the nation’s most selective colleges through the QuestBridge National College Match. QuestBridge works with top-ranked colleges that are actively seeking students who have achieved academic excellence in the face of economic obstacles. You may be concerned about tuition costs, but our partner colleges offer generous financial aid packages that make them very affordable for students from low-income backgrounds. </p>

<p>The QuestBridge National College Match offers an opportunity to gain admission and full four-year scholarships to leading colleges. Last year, more than 1,000 QuestBridge applicants were admitted to our partner colleges with generous financial aid, and 260 of these students received College Match scholarships covering the following costs:
Full cost of tuition (up to $40,000 per year)
Full cost of room and board (up to $15,000 per year)
Our 25 partners include many of the nation’s top-ranked universities and liberal arts colleges, such as:
Amherst College
MIT
Pomona College
Princeton University
Stanford University
Yale University
QuestBridge is a non-profit program. Our organization has worked for 15 years to help high-achieving low-income students gain access to leading colleges. We received your information from the College Board, and based on our experience, we believe that you have the potential to be a competitive applicant to selective colleges. </p>

<p>The QuestBridge application is designed to offer you the chance to highlight your strengths and the challenges you have overcome. As we are a non-profit, there are no application fees. The National College Match application is available at QuestBridge</a> Home Page and due on September 30, 2009. </p>

<p>Applying to the National College Match also opens the door to other QuestBridge programs. You will be eligible to apply for Quest for Excellence awards including new laptop computers, all-expense-paid visits to QuestBridge partner colleges, and career mentoring opportunities (e.g., with the Wall Street Journal and the consulting firm McKinsey & Company). QuestBridge applicants who gain admission to our partner colleges will join a national network of Quest Scholars who are as committed to helping others as they are to their own academic excellence and professional aspirations. Qualified National College Match applicants will also be eligible for future QuestBridge programs offering graduate school and professional internship opportunities. </p>

<p>We encourage you to apply to the National College Match. We look forward to reviewing your application, and we wish you continued success in your academic endeavors.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Is this significant?</p>

<p>Also, I know that this is some sort of scholarship program for low-income students, but how is it connected to the application process itself? Is it a substitute for the common app, or is it like another "supplementary" application..? What are the requirements for international students, as I am one. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Also, do I have to have taken 2 subject tests + SAT 1?</p>

3

<p>bumppppppppppppppppppp</p>

4

<p>Got this e-mail, too. It says it’s for low income. I have researched and have not been able to determine what the low income range is. The website mentions $60,000 and even $85,000 but at what level on the high end would you suggest not even applying?</p>

5

<p>It is real. It is a non-profit group who tries to help match disadvantaged, high performing students with very selective colleges. It is not a sure thing by any means, but it is worth the effort in many cases.</p>

<p>I had a client who participated in one their programs last year.</p>

6

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<p>Read EVERYHING!!!</p>

<p>Then go to the QB thread on the College Admissions site here on cc. But first, READ EVERYTHING!!!</p>

<p>The application is up. Start it now, and if you have questions, ask again.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Yes, it is a real program that gives low income high achieving students full rides to highly selective schools.</p>

7

<p>GA MOM, I tried reading everything, but I don’t see the connection in this program and the entire application process itself anywhere - if I fill out the QB application, do I need not worry about ANY other types of applications? Or is it a “side” thing where I have to fill out all my regular (common app, supplements) in addition to this QB app. ? Thanks.</p>

8

<p>more info here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>To answer your question about the connection between Questbridge and the entire application process: it depends on whether you are selected to be a finalist or not. </p>

<p>My daughter applied last year but was not selected as a finalist; for us it made her start her college applications earlier than she might have otherwise and it also got her thinking about more selective schools than she might have otherwise. Some schools would have allowed her to use her Questbridge application instead of the Common App; she chose not to since she worked on her essays and made them stronger after her Questbridge application.</p>

<p>She will begin school at the end of the month at a Questbridge school (even though she was not a Questbridge finalist she ended up being admitted through the regular admissions process) that meets full need - our income is under $60,000 and her dream school is much more affordable than local public state institutions.</p>