Where should I go to college?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Yes, but wouldn’t that also mean that her first choice did not want to admit her through QB NCM? Perhaps it is then theoretically possible for her to then get admitted RD (with normal financial aid rather than the QB NCM full ride). If the applicant prefers an RD chance at the first choice if not admitted through QB NCM over a binding admission to any other school, could she apply through QB NCM with just the first choice listed? However, the tradeoff there is that she cannot apply EA elsewhere (many regular ED admissions do allow EA elsewhere).</p>

<p>Of course, since all of these schools are highly selective to the point that they cannot be considered safeties for anyone, the OP needs to start off the list with affordable safeties (e.g. the automatic full ride scholarship list).</p>

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<p>QB NCM is like being allowed to apply ED to 8 schools, ranked in order of preference, with a “special stellar top applicant” sticker on top of the application. So… Hard to see a downside.
However, finding 2 affordable safeties would be very important too since even through QB students can’t be guaranteed a spot (and they need to choose schools with varying degrees of selectivity!)</p>

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<p>For QB NCM, do students HAVE to rank 8 colleges or could they rank any number up to 8? </p>

<p>I’m also a junior and looking to apply for NCM this upcoming fall and I only have 2 or 3 colleges that I’m interested in out of the partner list. (Trying to stay relatively close to home!)</p>

<p>Would it be better to apply Early Decision/Action to those schools then? since I only have two that I’m interested in. Or should I apply using QB and have the “special sticker” advantage? </p>

<p>The two I’m interested in are UPenn and Princeton so because Princeton is EA, I could turn it down if I were to granted admission into Princeton but not Penn, right? I’m also from the Philadelphia region so I would have an “advantage” applying to Penn.</p>

<p>I’m just not sure which application I should use! Thanks in advance !</p>

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<p><a href=“QuestBridge | National College Match: How To Apply”>http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-how-to-apply&lt;/a&gt; says “up to 8 colleges”.</p>

<p>Applying to Penn and Princeton through QB NCM appears to be the only way to apply to both early, since Princeton EA is SCEA where you agree not to apply ED anywhere else or EA to other private schools; see <a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/single-choice-early-actio/”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/applyingforadmission/single-choice-early-actio/&lt;/a&gt; .</p>

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<p>Oooh. Thanks a bunch @ucbalumnus ! </p>

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<p>I’m sure @GA2012MOM‌ knows about this first hand, I can’t remember all of the details from attending the QB College Prep Scholars last June. DD decided against the QB NCM last fall. </p>

<p>I thought your top ranked school had to also pick you…otherwise, there is no match.</p>

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<p>OP, you definitely have a chance of getting into excellent schools that meet full need.</p>

<p>One thing unmentioned so far is the importance of your application essays. These can make the difference at such schools. </p>

<p>Nearly all schools will require the essay from the Common Application. The more elite ones will require other ones, too. Don’t skimp on time when writing these, even the short ones. Show them to someone who can proofread.</p>

<p>Some readers might not know that admissions officers really like personal stories as part of these, with lots of color and description. </p>

<p>Some good resources: 1) A book, "On Writing the College Essay, by Bauld. See if you can get it through your library; 2) MIT Admissions’ advice: <a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/how-to-write-a-college-essay”>http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/how-to-write-a-college-essay&lt;/a&gt; 3) Examples that worked from Johns Hopkins: <a href=“http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays/”>http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays/&lt;/a&gt; 4) Lots of advice on a blog on college admissions essays:<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/”>http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;