National College Match - 2009-2010

Paying for College Access Programs (Questbridge, Posse)
2101

<p>I noticed on the QuestBridge website that </p>

<p>“Yale will only offer admission through the National College Match to students whose parents qualify to make zero contribution to college costs.”</p>

<p>In my case, my parents make less than $60,000 but when I put in their income using the EFC calculator, the EFC is more than $0. But then Yale Finaid says that students whose parent’s income is less than $60000 is not expected to pay any for EFC. </p>

<p>So, my question is, am I elligible for the College Match for Yale or no?</p>

2102

<p>I have a pretty important question. I’m not sure if anyone else has this problem, or has answered this question, but would it be okay if the total income from the sum of the different parts on the Household Income section of the QB app is different from the AGI on the 2008 tax return form? Because my family is kinda in a unique situation this year and so my AGI is different from the QB total income. This is due to different ways of calculating. I didn’t explain because I thought it would be too confusing, and I thought it would be okay if they were different. When I submit additional documents/tax returns, I’m sure they will understand. This is ok right??</p>

<p>Now for some less important q’s…do my counselors have to submit another recommendation through common app for the schools that require it? If so, do those schools read both recs, one from QB and one from common app? Thank you!</p>

2103

<p>Tomjonesistheman, I assume that if a problem did arise, then they would let you explain the discrepancy. </p>

<p>As to whether the college reads both recommendations, probably not. I called Yale the other day to see if I could submit recommendations A and B for Questbridge, but A and C for the common app. and the person over the phone said I should snail mail in the third letter of recommendation just to make sure the adcoms actually get to read it - I take this to mean that they normally just read the QB app.</p>

2104

<p>@introvert - Good question!</p>

<p>I have nada QB experience - I haven’t siblings, and I don’t personally know anyone that has done QB, and the school teachers and GC are learning 'bout QB from ME - Ha!</p>

<p>GA2010Mom (Amherst) and/or MattsMomFl (Pomona) have been so kindly helping us) - Their kids were MATCHED (Yay!) so maybe they have insight and will share some specific information.</p>

<p>Yale (+ Amherst and some other colleges that have similiar ‘disclaimers’ on their sites) state if there is ANY EFC, even $1.
you will not be MATCHed in the first round. I believe that. </p>

<p>EFC calculation considers more than just parent’s income.
Any and all hard Assets & savings are counted. If income is low but there is home $$equity, or $$savings, or even little or unstable $$income from a business, & $$ from your own job, irregardless if those earnings are needed/used to help with household/medical or other family expenses - all those extra $$ will be counted!</p>

<p>There is some formula that is used - I think it is a % of the Government Poverty level for your famly size or something like that? -each college calculates differently - I haven’t been able to find a definitive answer. </p>

<p>The CSS Profile just came on-line Oct. 1 - I’ve been busy, busy with work & school, as soon as I have a breather, I’ll sit down with my Mom and see exactly how/what to do. I hope I get the fee waivers, but I’d be happy to help QB anyway and ‘pay it forward’. . </p>

<p>My QB App is done and gone - It’s a great competitive app. I am trying to ‘think positive’ - I have a good feeling about reaching Finalist status, but I will be VERY surprised if I get a MATCH. </p>

<p>I’m ranking 3 QB non-binding schools, I think I would have a good chance for MATCH at the LAC’s, also at other schools, (other than HYPMS) BUT, I’m aiming for my dreams and ‘buying my lottery ticket’.</p>

2105

<p>I didn’t know that your EFC literally had to be zero. We have the Automatic EFC for FAFSA, but for the CSS/PROFILE I think our CollegeBoard EFC is like $500 (or maybe my mom’s is like $500 and mine is like $1000 because I work a lot). ***? So basically I just wasted my time. Ugh. Anyways, I hope the non-custodial parent information waiver isn’t due for the Finalist process… I didn’t think it was. I hope not, since I didn’t fill it out yet, much less send it in. I’m getting a little POed. I’m starting to think maybe I won’t recommend QuestBridge to anyone… it was certainly more difficult than the EA or RD process, and it looks like I’m not really getting anything out of it. Very disappointing. There’s always hope, I guess.</p>

<p>EDIT: Well, at least this is slightly good news.</p>

<p>

</p>

2106

<p>Here’s the gist of what I’ve been saying above: </p>

<p>1) Applying to QuestBridge is a great opportunity even if you don’t get matched in the National College Match round, and even if you are not named a QuestBridge finalist. It’s practice early in the admission season in making applications, thinking about yourself, and meeting deadlines. </p>

<p>2) Few students but those with a $0 estimated family contribution get matched in the National College Match round. That is the strict policy of at least one QuestBridge partner college, which is nonetheless very eager to admit other QuestBridge finalists during the regular action round. Don’t worry if your family has an EFC higher than zero: you should be glad your family has more money than the bare minimum needed to survive. </p>

<p>3) It’s very generous of QuestBridge to extend the application deadline to make up for technical difficulties that began to be apparent on 29 September 2009, because QuestBridge is just one of many organizations that announces that it is ALWAYS a good idea to try to beat deadlines. Any college with a computerized admission process has a server crash in the last hour before the deadline–even colleges with great computer science departments and lots of hardware. Any college with a postal mail admission process will get questions from students whose car broke down on the way to the post office, or whatever the mishap was. Plan ahead to give yourself margin to beat the deadline is always a good idea. </p>

<p>4) QuestBridge has lined up some great partner colleges. But my child is talking to other colleges, getting ready to make other applications if QuestBridge doesn’t work out, and so should you. There are other colleges with great programs and strong financial aid, and now is the time to find out about those colleges and to be ready to apply to those once you know the results of the QuestBridge process (which will be timely for early action or early decision at other colleges). Your chances aren’t over if you are not selected as a QuestBridge finalist. Don’t give up hope. </p>

<p>5) Oh, and what I say most often is GOOD LUCK and best wishes to all of you. Each of us will have our own results from the process. All of you can move on to great things after the QuestBridge results are known, whatever those results are. </p>

<p>Also many thanks for the veterans of the process who have come back this year to inform and encourage all of the newbies like my family here.</p>

2107

<p>6) Applying for college is expensive! Go total up how much it would normally cost you in application fees to apply to the QB schools you will have your app forwarded to. Then be grateful for the savings you have realized through QuestBridge. Also be grateful for the chance to fill out an application designed to help you as a low-income student showcase your unique strengths.</p>

2108

<p>Call me a downer, but between transcripts and test scores, it’s actually costing me more to use QB :-)</p>

2109

<p>Well, if you ultimately get into a QB school your FA will most likely be better than that which you get elsewhere, unless you are able to get a full-ride scholarship somewhere (which some of you may).</p>

<p>So far as applying, yes, it will be cheaper not to apply than to apply. So far as paying for college, that’s where the rubber really hits the road.</p>

2110

<p>

</p>

<p>How can that be?</p>

2111

<p>I have a worry guys. I sent in my test scores on the 25th and my application on the 29th. Everything was in when I submitted my application, but on the 28th, my counselor faxed in my test scores again so I deleted the earlier date one since the new one was more clear. However, on my locker, the newer fax was recieved on the 1st of october. Will they not count my test scores since it says that it was recieved over the deadline or should I ask for an extension even if the old one was already recieved when I sent my application?</p>

2112

<p>Wait where exactly were we supposed to report EFC on the QB app? Like what section is that in…cause i don’t remember that.</p>

2113

<p>I don’t recall anywhere on the QB form that asked for an EFC. But the college can calculate your EFC (close enough for government work) by what you report on the QB form, especially about adjusted gross income and household size and other assets.</p>

2114

<p>Do you think this will be 0 EFC?
-4 in household total
-1 sibling is in college full time
-other sibling is a baby
-my mom
-mom is a single parent, made $25,000 in 2008 (and that was a good year)
-no child support, no assets or anything like that…</p>

<p>Anyone make any predictions? I think that’s gonna be 0 EFC…if it isn’t then this country has a serious issue…</p>

2115

<p>Not to mention that our area has a high cost of living…</p>

2116

<p>@Ju_liaa</p>

<p>‘Google’ EFC College Calculators - Choose and get a quick estimate for your household.</p>

<p>Using the numbes from your post - If your family has little or no home equity, and you didn’t file taxes from a (student) job the EFC should be ‘0’. </p>

<p>You will see that the calculators input your state, so cost of living is taken into consideration.</p>

<p>Good Luck with the numbers - you certainly sound worthy of a full ride!</p>

<pre><code>Heads Up Everyone - First Hurdle - 21 Days to Finalist news :eek:
</code></pre>

2117

<p>So about 6000+ students that apply through QB, only 2000+ get into finals? Ah.</p>

2118

<p>Is there anybody who had a teacher fax their rec in on the 28th, 29th, or 30th? Has your locker changed the status to Not Started to Completed? Mine faxed it in on the 28th and it’s been 4 days and it still doesn’t say Completed.</p>

2119

<p>

</p>

<p>My school charges $20 for every transcript, recommendation, school report, etc. sent after the first two (and my old school charges $2 each). The Common Application was one, and then QuestBridge was the second. Since the schools I ranked required you send THEM another copy of your transcript, it’s going to cost me $40. Then, since I added another school through QuestBridge (not QuestBridge’s fault at all), it’s also going to cost me an extra $10 to send SAT scores to Yale. So all in all, QuestBridge costs $50 whereas applying to Stanford without QuestBridge would only cost $10 (with fee waiver). Stanford and Yale give the same FA packages to low EFC students entered during the SCEA or RD rounds as QuestBridge.</p>

<p>Don’t get me wrong… I am getting something out of QuestBridge, and naturally I’ll be thrilled if I’m matched. It’s just that originally I didn’t like QuestBridge and wasn’t going to use it at all (for reasons I’ve already listed), and then when speaking to a woman who works at Stanford/QuestBridge, I was convinced. Now that the flurry of work I had to complete in barely two weeks is over, it’s starting to feel a lot less like what it’s cracked up to be… especially since my own income is going to exclude me from the Match process. So much for taking initiative. At least I’ll get good FA either way!</p>

2120

<p>@GetToCollege: Thanks a lot! :slight_smile: I hope they think so too lolz</p>