What do you think of posse?

[Anonymous]

Questbridge is based on income and GPA.

It should be safe from those who think everyone in America has the same opportunity.

Keep in mind: wealthy multi-gen grad Black students still face anti-Black bias in high school with grading, dress and behavior coding, standardized testing, counselor advice/ignorance, and even letters of recommendation. Parents also face continuing anti-Black bias in private loans and access to credit.

On many campuses, unless you're at an HBCU, most faculty, heads of departments administrators, coaches, and advisors will be predominantly older white men who will police themselves now that DEI offices are shutdown. Don't get me started on the attitudes of campus police and local cops. They are well aware that the George Floyd Act didn't pass.

Regardless of how many students "of color" a school claims to have, Black students and academics are STILL disproportionately underrepresented in higher education.

Now schools are getting rid of legacy in the name of equity JUST when Black alumni who, in theory, MAY have benefited from Affirmative Action admission (more likely already high achievers) but also ended up with higher debt (racial bias in lending, again).

Bottom line, don't assume that just because a Black student isn't on financial aid that they are treated equally by the higher education system in America.

Posse Foundation https://www.possefoundation.org/about-posse helps fill in the gaps in leadership development opportunities or other issues related to lack of diversity and inclusion that can hinder even rich Black kids in white-dominated schools and colleges.

Questbridge is an amazing program that truly delivers equity for excellent students from economically disadvantaged students from underserved backgrounds.

I can't imagine it being challenged legally.

https://www.questbridge.org/apply-to-college/programs/college-prep-scholars-program
Eligibility:
High school juniors, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S., and U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad
Earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses offered
Demonstrating strong writing skills and intellectual curiosity, plus resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed
Typically from a household earning less than $65,000 annually with minimal assets (for a household of four members)

[Anonymous]

Impression of Posse:

Super-prestigious
Super hard to get
Recipients may need a little nurturing but are likely to soar
Wish my university had Posse Scholars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you think of posse? Is it good? How hard to get it?

a link or description would have been of help. Meanwhile, I've moved on . . .

[Anonymous]

Posse varies widely between cities. In some cities very well-off and educated folks have kids getting Posse. I don’t know anyone in DC who has gotten it. I don’t even hear about it in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's very competitive but I do wonder about how they select candidates who need the support of the program. The one kid I know who is a posse scholar is biracial and from a fairly wealthy family. Both parents went to college and law/grad school.

I thought the program was to provide support (your posse) in the transition to and through college (+$$) but she was hardly the kind of student who would need that.

Not sure why you think being biracial is a blocker to participating…

I can understand the income component to an extent, but you really cannot know someone’s income/finances

When I first heard of Posse a while ago it was from hearing an interview with the founder. He talked about how difficult it was as a first gen student of color to go to college and not have anyone like him for friendship/support. So the original purpose of the program was to recruit high achieving, first gen students of color and send them to college together to be a "posse" for each other. So when I saw she was a scholar I was surprised because of the not-first gen/high income part but being biracial fit the "students of color" part.

Looking into it further I see that the goals of the program have completely changed. It no longer has anything to do with income/first-gen/URM. It's purely about identifying "leadership." Which is fine. But surprised me that they changed it so completely. Given the access to guidance and resources for developing "leadership" (however they conceive that) that wealthier kids have it seems like a program with that focus but no preference for other factors just becomes a program to give full rides to rich kids.

The founder is a white woman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Impression of Posse:

Super-prestigious
Super hard to get
Recipients may need a little nurturing but are likely to soar
Wish my university had Posse Scholars

My son was a semifinalist (and so was his girlfriend).
There were no questions/discussion/questions on household income.
One of the things they had on the website was identifying kids who were more likely to be overlooked.
He has friends who were selected as posse scholars-- these folks were popular kids in school who already had multiple achievements-- these folks are not going to be "likely to be overlooked."

I think that the school needs to do a better job of nominating. Of course they will send their shiniest kids. But it should not be that way. It should be the "lesser known kids"- the ones who need more nurturing to and an opportunity to soar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you think of posse? Is it good? How hard to get it?

a link or description would have been of help. Meanwhile, I've moved on . . .

+1. gone and left this thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Impression of Posse:

Super-prestigious
Super hard to get
Recipients may need a little nurturing but are likely to soar
Wish my university had Posse Scholars

My son was a semifinalist (and so was his girlfriend).
There were no questions/discussion/questions on household income.
One of the things they had on the website was identifying kids who were more likely to be overlooked.
He has friends who were selected as posse scholars-- these folks were popular kids in school who already had multiple achievements-- these folks are not going to be "likely to be overlooked."

I think that the school needs to do a better job of nominating. Of course they will send their shiniest kids. But it should not be that way. It should be the "lesser known kids"- the ones who need more nurturing to and an opportunity to soar.

I think it should be a mix-- some kids under the radar and some with proven leadership skills. The "proven leader" types will have the confidence to model leadership to the others in the posse. If the posse is nothing but "lesser known/under the radar" kids there could be a bit of delay on getting the posse to get in gear.

[Anonymous]

My kid’s SLAC has more than one posse. It seems like a win-win for the school and the scholars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Impression of Posse:

Super-prestigious
Super hard to get
Recipients may need a little nurturing but are likely to soar
Wish my university had Posse Scholars

My son was a semifinalist (and so was his girlfriend).
There were no questions/discussion/questions on household income.
One of the things they had on the website was identifying kids who were more likely to be overlooked.
He has friends who were selected as posse scholars-- these folks were popular kids in school who already had multiple achievements-- these folks are not going to be "likely to be overlooked."

I think that the school needs to do a better job of nominating. Of course they will send their shiniest kids. But it should not be that way. It should be the "lesser known kids"- the ones who need more nurturing to and an opportunity to soar.

My friend had two kids go through the Posse application process (which is lengthy and intense). She said anyone can nominate students for the Posse process, I don’t think the nomination has to come from your kid’s school.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with two kids that went through the Posse application process. One was accepted to their Posse school, and the other was not.

Both kids are very bright students and come from a wealthy family. My friend lives in a mansion, and both her and her spouse are college educated.

The Posse process is lengthy and intense but certainly worth it for the free education at great schools. There are mandatory functions throughout the application process, and these continue once you are accepted.

With the Posse process, you are only allowed to apply to certain designated schools for your region. These schools could be located in different areas around the country.

If your child is willing to stick with the process and give it a try, it’s a great experience bc at the least they’ll get free help and support with the college application process and their essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Posse is not income or race dependent. Maybe it was in the past. Our school counselor made this very clear.

It was like that already before the SC decision, as it was made clear for our DC22.

I volunteered with Posse in 2010. At that time it did not have income limits.

[Anonymous]

Should stay on Broadway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if it ditched the racial component after the Supreme Court decision.

Possible but that decision doesn't prevent a first-gen and/or low-income consideration.

Questbridge is specifically for low-income/1st gen students (no racial component).

Are you sure 1st gen is a criterion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if it ditched the racial component after the Supreme Court decision.

Possible but that decision doesn't prevent a first-gen and/or low-income consideration.

Questbridge is specifically for low-income/1st gen students (no racial component).

Are you sure 1st gen is a criterion?

It's low-income, with an emphasis on first gen (about 80% of recipients): https://questbridge.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/223128987-Does-a-student-need-to-be-first-generation-in-order-to-qualify-for-QuestBridge#:~:text=secondary%20school%20education%3F-,Does%20a%20student%20need%20to%20be%20first,order%20to%20qualify%20for%20QuestBridge%3F&text=No.,is%20certainly%20not%20a%20requirement.