<p>I have several friends who were finalists and were ultimately rejected/waitlisted at all QB schools that they applied to…</p>
<p>Reflecting as a finalist I absolutely saw a pattern between race/first-gen and admissions results which I have very mixed feelings about. I applied to QB as a white, Jewish female who was not first-gen or extremely low income compared to many of my QB peers. Despite this I got CPS, Fein Fellow and Finalist which I am extremely thankful for. But it also gave me a sense of false-hope. I applied to all but one partner LAC and a decent number of non-LAC partners thinking some would surely see in me what QB had seen in me. After hearing countless times how my essays were great, my grades/rank/scores were strong and my ECs showed clear passions I found myself accepted at one partner, waitlisted at four and rejected by the rest of them while I saw peers with lower stats/less ECs who were first-gen and/or racial minorities accepted at many of the schools that had just rejected me. I am very fortunate that in the end I have two good college options and don’t in any way blame those who receive a “boost” in an admissions process (many more of them were deserving of their acceptances) but at the same time I wish I had known going into the process what I would be up against.</p>