<p>Frankly, I think QuestBridge sometimes rejects applicants who do not need to take an alternative approach to admissions. When I was in the process of applying, I came across a kid (white, first-gen, severely disadvantaged economically) who, despite setbacks, had phenomenal stats. He seemed really bitter about not being named a finalist, but when the time came, he was accepted to more than one Ivy League.</p>
<p>And, again, I didn’t feel like a very good applicant. I was certain that I had NO chance of being name a finalist because I was white and not-first gen with pretty average stats overall. When I discovered that I had been selected, my first instinct was that the committee made a mistake. It really is just a crap shoot sometimes.</p>