collegehopeful78

Well I do come from a low income family so if I become a QB finalist would that be a real good hook?

collegehopeful78

Bump. (10 CHARS0

Rosh420

PomonaBound2007, you are so helpful. The info you're providing is greatly appreciated. Do you know how the college match works? Quite frankly, I am willing to attend ANY of those colleges that QB has listed. But what if I rank a college really low, but it's the ONLY college willing to accept me? How would that affect things?

PomonaBound2007

I think being a QB finalist is a great title to have but you may wanna ask those who didn't go through with the College Match if they think it helped them, collegehopeful78. I'd say it's a pretty good hook in addition to good grades and extracurricular activities.

I'm glad to be of help, Rosh420. Lol, I bugged a couple of people who did Questbridge two years ago with my numerous questions so I'm happy to pay it forward. The whole QB College Match process for this year is outlined here: http://www.questbridge.org/students/index.html

Basically College Match works by filling out QB's very detailed application during September of your senior year. Some colleges require additional essays but that shouldn't be a problem if you start early. Also, sometimes you can reuse essays because the prompts are so similar. QB then chooses a certain amount of finalists (it was like 900 last year; I don't know how they decide how many students to make finalists) in late October. If chosen as a finalist, you can choose to participate in the College Match process and submit your final ranking of QB's partner colleges. Keep in mind that this is a BINDING process after you submit the final ranking form. QB is awesome because it allows you to apply ED to so many elite colleges and if one of those colleges you rank decides to rank you back then you get a four year, full-ride scholarship to that school. I know of a couple of people who didn't rank a particular college but that college was so interested in them that they were still offered the College Match scholarship. The most important advice I could impart about QB's College Match program is to choose your final ranking VERY carefully if you become a finalist and opt in because you're stuck if one of those colleges chooses you back. I know of some match winners who were very disappointed that they didn't get into their first choice and now HAVE to attend a college they didn't initially love. All of the QB partner schools are amazing and I know of some people who ranked all of them and I know of some who just ranked one school.

I think the matching of QB schools and finalists is done by a computer algorithm or something. It's all very complicated. Basically, the college's give QB a list of the finalists they'd be willing to give full rides to. I don't know if the college or the student ever finds out how they ranked each other if there's a match. I definitely know that you don't find out if another college was interested in you if you get the College Match scholarship. I don't think the order plays much of a role if you only get matched with one college. It becomes important though if more than one school is interested, then the college you ranked highest is the one you're matched to.

westcoastlove

well, if you say that a algorithm or something ranks the applicants--finalists, that means SAT scores and GPA matter a lot huh?

I am sure ECs will factor in as well, but not as straight forward and uniform as SAT or GPA.

Also pomonabound2007, what were your ECs? What made you stand out from the rest of the questbridge applicants?

collegehopeful78

Then I am done for. My act is a 34, 800 in us hisotry, 800 in math 2c, 710 in bio m.
My gpa is only a 93 but that is unweighted. Plus I go to a really rigorous school so if its just an algorithim that wont be factored in. I wont be matched with yale or princeton. R u sure they don't look at indvidual applications by hand?

collegehopeful78

They also wont see my recs which would explain why I did really bad one term during sophomore year.

PomonaBound2007

I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. QB looks personally at all the applications that are submitted for the College Match. They then choose finalists. If a finalist opts in and submits a final ranking form, their application is forwarded to the colleges they listed. The colleges then personally examine the QB app, similar to how they look at ED applications I suppose. The colleges then create their own list comprised of students they'd be willing to give full-rides to. The algorithm only comes into play during the actual match process when the ranking forms of the finalists and the colleges are compared. That's why no one knows how one ranked the other.

QB definitely looks at each applicant as a whole person. The College Match application designed to get the best sense of who you are as a person. It's a totally holistic way of choosing well-qualified finalists. I'd already had a history with QB when I applied to the College Match in my senior year. I was a College Prep Scholarship winner and received telementoring from an Amherst student who'd also done College Match. However, applying to the College Prep is not vital to becoming a finalist for College Match. I believe QB looks at grades, activities, volunteering, work history, obstacles you overcome, family life, and all that in determining finalists.

westcoastlove, I was involved in several school clubs and by my senior year I was the leader of most of them. I'd rather not list my specifics but QB does want to see that you're passionate and dedicated to something. It may not even have to be a club. I think what made me stand out was my familial and financial background, my commitment to my schoolwork and determination to do the absolute best. Also, I probably got really good recommendations from my teachers and my counselor who witnessed all my hard work.

I suggest everyone interested in QB College Match peruse these pages and get more in-depth answers to your questions:
http://www.questbridge.org/students/faqs.html
http://www.questbridge.org/programs/college_match.htm

collegehopeful78

I have one more question. So far I have only taken the ACT which I got a 34 on
and Bio 2 M whoch i got a 710 on. The 800 u.s and 800 math are projected scores. I will be taking those tests in October. Questbridge says testing done in October is ok. however, finalists are notified by october 20. How long does it take to rush sat 2 scores. Will this hurt my chances of being a finalist or will the 34 act and 710 be enough since the average questbridge finalist has an average of a 27 or 28 on the act.

PomonaBound2007

collegehopeful78, those scores should be fine for becoming a finalist. The sat ii's are more important for the colleges you decide to rank than QB. Some of QB's partner schools require 2 or 3 sat ii's. Make sure you scores are sent to the colleges your interested in and you should be fine.

sw717

Most people with my stats don't post them, but I'm not ashamed of it.
GPA 4.73 or 3.83 (unweighted)
SAT 1910
ACT 28
middle class, Asian female

Then again, it's not about stats. On the forums, the finalists were posting their stats, awards, and EC, and I remember knowing without a doubt that these people with their perfect stats, awards, EC, and story would be matched with their first choice. Didn't happen. Most of the people who were matched weren't exactly "shoe ins." (No offense obviously, but the point is that you don't know what the school is looking for) So just go for it, you never know.
Either way, if you become a finalist, and don't get matched, you can apply to the partner schools for free.

collegehopeful78

Sw717 those stats are not that bad. Don't be so harsh on yourself. You have the stats of an average Questbridge applicant. I think the obstacles you have had to overcome plays a bigger role.

whynot123

i got a questbridge email earlier but didn't apply because i thought it was for people who qualify for financial aid, which i didn't think my middle class family would. so does being contacted by questbridge mean that i could qualify for need-based financial help or was i just contacted becuase of my psat score?

alexolivier

I wholeheartedly agree with PomonaBound. QuestBridge is very good at presenting not only your statistics, but your personality to various colleges. As for wondering about what stats qualify for a QB match, the numbers run the gamut. There were several applicants who had, or claimed to have, perfect scores. On the QB forum, they constantly bragged about their SATs and ACTs and some were even bold enough to post their essays. The essays that were posted were depressing and intense. These applicants were not matched. I would say, if you have any intention of applying to QuestBridge, do NOT give up hope. And do NOT write essays begging for pity. In my personal opinion, the essays are the most important part! My best friend and I were both matched to Wellesley, and the admissions director commented on our essays over the phone, not our grades. If you feel slightly inadequate about numbers and such, don't worry about it, just pour your efforts into displaying your true self. And if you're funny, don't be afraid to show that humor when you write.

In summary, and then some:
*The forum is so competitive! Try to avoid it as much as you possibly can!
*Write personal, interesting essays. Don't be clinical and don't be overly serious. If you do chose to write about a serious topic, perhaps add a bit of optimism.
*Great numbers, while a nice addition, are never a guarantee that you will or will not be matched.
*Even so, don't slack off.
*Take every opportunity to visit the campus! QB will send you e-mails about travel grants!
*If you are matched, you will enter a community for life.
*Many people felt QB would only select minority applicants. Pish posh. Yeah, diversity is very interesting, but QB is not exclusive. (My friend is black and I am white)

Good luck everyone!

jjjjjj89

a question... I looked at the website of Questbridge and found out that the application AND the final ranking forms are due on the same day...
so when can we opt out?
Also I was wondering if someone could tell me if I could apply EA to other schools.