Did everybody get that email from Emory about CORE?
@Roxbury_resident, what did it have in the email?
@WouldYouAcceptMe Basically telling me that as a college prepscholar, they’re interested in having me and gave me details about this program that they do in the fall.
Did anyone get any Quest For Excellence awards? I just received the Quest For Excellence New York City Award.
ACCEPTED
OBJECTIVE:
SAT/ACT/SAT II: Have not yet taken any.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Not sure but I reckon the top 5%
AP/IB: None offered at my school.
Academic Awards:
- Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
- 4.0 student award
- 2015 National “Catholic Secondary Schools Science Fair” Champion
Questbridge Awards: - A place on the waitlist for a National College Admissions Conference
- Personalized essay coaching
- A nomination for all-expense-paid campus visits to QuestBridge college partners
SUBJECTIVE:
Extracurricular Activities:
- Peer Helpers (10th, 11th VP)
- Choir (11th)
- Religious Youth Group (11th)
Job/Work Experience: Sometimes, I’m a cashier at my parents’ business, if that counts hahah.
Volunteer/Community service: - Local Cancer Support Group (Summer 9th grade)
- Local hospital (Summer 10th grade)
Summer Activities: Just the community service work I did.
Essays: Considering that I handed up my first draft, I’d say 8/10 maybe. I liked my short answers and my answers for the QFE awards. My essay was about my incompetence to speak up, and I do believe that that could have been better than it was, but yeah, I didn’t have much time to write multiple drafts nor get it checked over by a teacher.
Teacher Recommendation: 9/10
OTHER:
Country (if international applicant): Belize
School Type: Catholic (Jesuit) school
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket(mention if FA candidate): ~$23,000
Hooks: First Generation student, Asian Minority
REFLECTION:
Strengths: My income and my hooks. If it was my subjective data, then probably my essay and short answers. My teacher recommendation also supported all my claims of my interests and all of that, so that probably was a huge help as well.
Weaknesses: I have such little EC’s I kind of cringe, but I do try to make use of whatever opportunity I am offered. My school and community doesn’t present me with much to do, so if you do have the chance and the resources to do something you’re interested in, I encourage you to do it without hesitation because many students don’t have the chance to.
Why you think you were accepted/rejected: I honestly have no idea. I guess it’s my low income and my two hooks.
What other Scholarships will you be applying for: definitely NCM, and Cameron Impact Scholarship.
General Comments: Congratulations to everyone who got in! I wish you the best in your college journey. And to those who didn’t get accepted, I know a rejection letter stings - heck, it stings a whole lot. But please don’t allow that to deter you from attaining your goals. Through hard work and constant motivation to continue snatching at whatever opportunities come your way, you’re definitely going to be able to do whatever you set your mind to. The mind is powerful. You can do it!
Sorry this was so long; I tend to ramble. But really, I tried to provide all I could so I hope it helped you, whoever’s reading this! Goodluck on your journey to college! 
I’m going to the Yale conference, I cannot tell you how happy I am that I got accepted as a Prep Scholar!
ACCEPTED
SAT/ACT/SAT II: 640 math 570 reading
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2/266
AP/IB: AP Physics 1 and AP Lang/comp (this year)
Academic Awards:
-FBLA gold officer award
student of the month 2 times
-student of the year for american history I
Questbridge Awards:
Personalized essay coaching
A nomination to receive Telementoring from an Amherst College student
A nomination for all-expense-paid campus visits to QuestBridge college partners
SUBJECTIVE:
Extracurricular Activities:
-FBLA (president this year, secretary last year)
Student Newspaper (editor this year, member last year)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service:
-6 hours every month this past school year at local events,library
Summer Activities: science program at local college for 3 years
Essays: Topic was good but writing skills was bad. I wrote the essay in basically a day because I only found out about quest bridge a week before the deadline also the word limit constricted me. I wrote about how my family has never emotionally supported my academic career or accomplishments. Basically, everything I do academic and extracurricular is through my own efforts and I constantly have to deal with my draining unsupportive family. I feel as if this was my strongest component of the application
Teacher Recommendation: didnt read it but probably 8/10
OTHER:
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket(mention if FA candidate): ~$18,000
Hooks: First Generation student, single parent
REFLECTION:
Strengths: My income and essay
Weaknesses: SAT scores, little amount of EC
Why you think you were accepted/rejected: I feel as if i expressed my overall desire for education well through my essay and short answers
What other Scholarships will you be applying for: don’t know
General Comments: If you feel as if you don’t have the best stats, apply anyways. I don’t have the best test scores but I stand out in my school. I was very surprised to see that I was accepted and hope to build on my application in time for NCM.
I’ve gotten a lot of emails from quest bridge colleges and just today got a $250 travel coupon to Carleton College but wont be using it considering its a liberal arts school and i live in NJ lol. I also got my application for the Amherst mentoring program and can’t wait to get back my essay feedback. i don’t think I got any scholarships or summer programs but its okay i’m just so happy I am a CPS
Hi @okruth,
First, I highly commend you for all you do without family support. I can imagine that is very draining. I am a parent but also was a kid with parents who didn’t understand the importance of an education.
I accompanied my daughter to Stanford this weekend for the Questbridge conference. I want to mention, the locations of the conferences are partner schools but it is a very important conference especially for someone like yourself doing this on your own. All of the partner schools have reps at each conference. Carlton is hosting but the program is focused on the entire program, not just one school.
You may want to contact Questbridge and explain your situation. If your parents are willing to let you attend alone if there was a closer conference, they may be able to work that out. I saw kids attend alone or with a guest older than 18, not a parent. Or, let them know you would need more help than the amount of the travel voucher if you have to travel so far,
Having already attended the conference, I think if you have to opportunity to attend, try to get there.
@HailuMu Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! But, I don’t think I explained myself well. The $250 travel coupon was to visit Carleton directly. It wasn’t for any conferences, I just received it in the mail to get a tour and information session of Carleton to potentially attend the school. But, like I said this doesn’t interest me that much. The $250 would only cover a single person’s travel expenses and I don’t think my family would be okay with me going to Minnesota by myself to tour a single college. Thanks anyways, I bet your daughter is thankful to have such a supportive parent
@okruth girly, congratulations to you! All your achievements so far are worth noting! And congratulations about the temelementoring! Not many people got nominated for telementoring, just so you know. Even if you didn’t get any summer program scholarship, you got telementoring and that’s actually really great! I’m sure you’re gonna do great. I’m amazed by your accomplishments! If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always shoot me a pm (: And there’s also a FB group for new questies like us. We have a really strong support network! Fellow CP scholars and QB scholars (2015-2016) are really nice and super helpful. You should definitely join, if you have a facebook account. Good luck with college apps!
@Menduch Thank you so much! I don’t use facebook but can I still read the posts? I can’t find it on my own could you send me a link? Good luck with college apps
@wispanic hi! im working on the essay and my story is similar to yours! do you mind sending me yours for reference? i just want to see how a finalist’s essay looks like and especially when i have similar backgrounds with you. my email is melissayung98@hotmail.com thanks!
Hello!
I hope this thread is still active. I am a junior this year and would like to understand how I may have been denied the CPS. Thanks!
DENIED
OBJECTIVE
SAT/ACT/SAT II: N/A
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A; maybe 5-10%
AP/IB:
-IB: Not offered at my school
-AP: Taken (2), Currently Taking (2)
-AP Human Geography (5)
-AP U.S. Government & Politics (5)
-AP U.S. History (Current)
-AP Language & Composition (Current)
Academic Awards:
- Dean’s List (x3)
Questbridge Awards: None
SUBJECTIVE
Extracurricular Activities:
- Library Volunteer for Summer Reading Program (10th, 11th (Big Buddy))
- Family Restaurant (11th)
- Youth Group (11th)
-Family Responsibilities (Babysitter, translator)
Job/Work Experience:
-Sushi Aji (Summer 2016; customer service liaison)
-Family Restaurant (March 2017-current; customer service liaison, manager)
Volunteer/Community service: - Library Volunteer for Summer Reading Program (10th, 11th (Big Buddy))
Summer Activities: Didn’t have this category in my application
Essay/Short Answer:
Essay: 7-8/10, first draft proofread by sister and submitted, about factors and challenges that contributed to my growth (talked about language barrier, financial constraint, and cultural barrier).
S/A: 8/10, very personal and specific
Awards:
-New American- 5/10
Teacher Recommendation: 9/10, by my APUSH teacher
OTHER
State: Colorado
School Type: Public, Charter
Ethnicity: Asian, Chinese
Gender: Male
Income Bracket(mention if FA candidate): $20,078; asset of $60,500 but in debt so no earnings
Hooks: First Generation, Asian Minority
REFLECTION:
Strengths:
-Teacher recommendation
-Demonstrated financial need
-Good academics
-Demonstrated lots of responsibilities
Weaknesses:
-Very little of distinguished awards
-Didn’t register for conference (I may not have had time) or applied to a lot of awards
-Very little extracurricular (I didn’t mention school activities, such as NHS (I didn’t because it was recent and made me seem not committed as I don’t have hours every week)
-Didn’t take advantage of my school’s extracurricular (I don’t participate in sports because I can’t afford it; I was not aware of clubs)
Why you think you were accepted/rejected:
-I think I got rejected because of my commitment to this program. I didn’t complete many of the conference and awards sections because I either couldn’t attend or ran out of time to complete (I had a week to finish because of my parents restaurant, which opened that month, and the school work)
What other Scholarships will you be applying for:
-IDK, recommendations? I’m looking at something called the Daniels Fund Scholarship.
-I hope to reapply to CMS.
General Comments:
-Congratulations! This is to all the previous College Prep Scholars and the 3,000-4,000 College Prep Scholars of Class 2018. You all have demonstrated excellence among the thousands who have applied. On the other hand, my empathy goes out all the other applicants who did not make it. I hope we can all persevere despite the harsh revelation. Finally, to future applicants, do not make the same mistakes I made. Take advantage of this program as well as the conferences, summer opportunities, and awards. I hope the best to all of you, accepted, denied, and future applicants!
Corrections:
- $20,078 for family of 5
- I meant to reapply to NCM not CMS (IDK, messed up completely)