College Admissions Results for Class of 2018 - Nightmare or Pleasant Suprise?

[Anonymous]

Have you been to the Questbridge website and watched the videos and read the stories of the students? I suspect it may be a "pain" in the DC area, where perhaps people in all socioeconomic groups understand the college application process, but for sure for some of those featured students, it was a life changer. They didn't have guidance counselors or anyone who understood Common App or fee waiver or whatever. They'd still be in small towns in the foothills of NC or wherever like everyone else they grew up with but for Questbridge. I just went to the website for the first time and donated, the stories were so profound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the real hook URM + poverty? QB is a non factor. You're hyping too hard to be a casual observer. QB is hq'd in DC, yes?

I benefited from QB several years ago (was admitted to several partner schools, though I went elsewhere), so you're right that I'm not a casual observer. They are based in Palo Alto, CA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the real hook URM + poverty? QB is a non factor. You're hyping too hard to be a casual observer. QB is hq'd in DC, yes?

I benefited from QB several years ago (was admitted to several partner schools, though I went elsewhere), so you're right that I'm not a casual observer. They are based in Palo Alto, CA.

I've never heard of QuestBridge before. I think the idea of getting poor smart kids hooked up to go to top universities is fantastic. Doesn't look like it's URM, just low SES and smart. Kudos to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is it an unnecessary middleman? Do you know how much of a hassle it is to contact 12 schools individually and get confirmation regarding a fee waiver?

QuestBridge Match guarantees a full scholarship with no loans, and it also covers books and supplies and gives a stipend for health insurance/travel. It is part of their agreement with the organization. The FA packages students get tend to be much more generous with Match than with Regular Decision. Many of the colleges do package loans, or they have hefty student contributions, or they only cover up to room/board/tuition, leaving students to figure out the other substantial costs.

The application is a consolidated one like the Common App. It's an alternative application process. A low-income student who applied normally would go through the same track. Pick the Common App schools to apply to. Fill out the Common App and the supplements for each school. Submit financial aid information. QB works exactly the same.

Not to mention that the college admissions process is a mess to navigate and could be extremely challenging for a low income and first gen student coming from an under-served school. QB specifically tailors to help these students out.

You just sound unbelievably bitter. Get over it. The most respected colleges in the country know and respect QuestBridge.

It's jealousy. The Questbridge college partners are indeed the best schools in the country https://www.questbridge.org/college-partners

YAY!!!!!! My niece (I posted up thread) got accepted to University of Chicago through the QB. Full ride!!!!! Her next in order choices were Brown, Princeton, Vanderbilt and John Hopkins.

Awesome! Mazel Tov!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They just released their numbers. 918 students received the scholarship this year, up 20% from last year and on average 24 full scholarship recipients per school.

For comparison, 5 years ago only 350 students got the scholarship.

Kudos to them for increasing access.

I'm not hating on QB. But it's a lot of work... for dubious results. How many applied for QB? I thought I read the match rate is like <20%? Maybe even 10%. So again, how is that favorable over just applying on your own?

My niece did all of the applying and work on her own. So it couldn't be that treacherous. She lives with my disabled mother because my brother took a job out of state after being unemployed for a year and her mother is deceased.

Even if it is difficult, it is totally worth it. Our family is overjoyed!!!! We can't believe that she is going to have full ride to one of the top universities in the country. The two of us had weekly calls to discuss her progress but she did this primarily all on her own while working 25 hours a week as a team leader at Domino's.

Amazing! I am so excited for her. You made my night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They just released their numbers. 918 students received the scholarship this year, up 20% from last year and on average 24 full scholarship recipients per school.

For comparison, 5 years ago only 350 students got the scholarship.

Kudos to them for increasing access.

I'm not hating on QB. But it's a lot of work... for dubious results. How many applied for QB? I thought I read the match rate is like <20%? Maybe even 10%. So again, how is that favorable over just applying on your own?

My niece did all of the applying and work on her own. So it couldn't be that treacherous. She lives with my disabled mother because my brother took a job out of state after being unemployed for a year and her mother is deceased.

Even if it is difficult, it is totally worth it. Our family is overjoyed!!!! We can't believe that she is going to have full ride to one of the top universities in the country. The two of us had weekly calls to discuss her progress but she did this primarily all on her own while working 25 hours a week as a team leader at Domino's.

Amazing! I am so excited for her. You made my night.

Yes!!! We are yelling it from from the roof tops!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So far, so good - DS got into Pitt, which is his top choice.

I went to Pitt and loved it. Great school. Hope he loves it too.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations to your DS/niece getting into Pitt and UChicago! My son struggled early in HS and consequently has a relatively low GPA. However, he has gotten into 3 schools so far and we are thrilled for him; he has worked hard the last year and a half. I wasn't sure he would get in anywhere other than community college and was stressed because he really wanted a 4 year college. So for us, pleasant surprise. However, obviously he was not applying to Ivies. Can't speak for top tier schools. Good luck to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you been to the Questbridge website and watched the videos and read the stories of the students? I suspect it may be a "pain" in the DC area, where perhaps people in all socioeconomic groups understand the college application process, but for sure for some of those featured students, it was a life changer. They didn't have guidance counselors or anyone who understood Common App or fee waiver or whatever. They'd still be in small towns in the foothills of NC or wherever like everyone else they grew up with but for Questbridge. I just went to the website for the first time and donated, the stories were so profound.

I went through this with my oldest who qualified ... it just didn't seem worth the time. Isn't it binding too? So a lot of effort for only a 15% chance, and if you "win" you're bound to attend a college you might not be SUPER thrilled about. We just didn't see the point or benefit to it. I still don't. Touting the fee waiver and financial aid is silly... fee waivers are a breeze on common app and all these top 20 is free for low-ish income students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They just released their numbers. 918 students received the scholarship this year, up 20% from last year and on average 24 full scholarship recipients per school.

For comparison, 5 years ago only 350 students got the scholarship.

Kudos to them for increasing access.

I'm not hating on QB. But it's a lot of work... for dubious results. How many applied for QB? I thought I read the match rate is like <20%? Maybe even 10%. So again, how is that favorable over just applying on your own?

My niece did all of the applying and work on her own. So it couldn't be that treacherous. She lives with my disabled mother because my brother took a job out of state after being unemployed for a year and her mother is deceased.

Even if it is difficult, it is totally worth it. Our family is overjoyed!!!! We can't believe that she is going to have full ride to one of the top universities in the country. The two of us had weekly calls to discuss her progress but she did this primarily all on her own while working 25 hours a week as a team leader at Domino's.

Amazing! I am so excited for her. You made my night.

Mine too! Good for her!

[Anonymous]

FYI - I have a Questbridge child at UVA. https://www.questbridge.org/college-partners/university-of-virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the real hook URM + poverty? QB is a non factor. You're hyping too hard to be a casual observer. QB is hq'd in DC, yes?

I benefited from QB several years ago (was admitted to several partner schools, though I went elsewhere), so you're right that I'm not a casual observer. They are based in Palo Alto, CA.

I've never heard of QuestBridge before. I think the idea of getting poor smart kids hooked up to go to top universities is fantastic. Doesn't look like it's URM, just low SES and smart. Kudos to them.

To start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuestBridge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you been to the Questbridge website and watched the videos and read the stories of the students? I suspect it may be a "pain" in the DC area, where perhaps people in all socioeconomic groups understand the college application process, but for sure for some of those featured students, it was a life changer. They didn't have guidance counselors or anyone who understood Common App or fee waiver or whatever. They'd still be in small towns in the foothills of NC or wherever like everyone else they grew up with but for Questbridge. I just went to the website for the first time and donated, the stories were so profound.

I went through this with my oldest who qualified ... it just didn't seem worth the time. Isn't it binding too? So a lot of effort for only a 15% chance, and if you "win" you're bound to attend a college you might not be SUPER thrilled about. We just didn't see the point or benefit to it. I still don't. Touting the fee waiver and financial aid is silly... fee waivers are a breeze on common app and all these top 20 is free for low-ish income students.

I think it’s most useful for kids who can get into highly selective schools (but didn’t know they’d be affordable and/or couldn’t guess which lottery school would choose them). Even more helpful if HS or family isn’t accustomed to the admissions process for highly selective schools. QB offers a structure and a timeline for these applicants. Great program IMO. I think most of the colleges that participate also have local programs for low-income and first-gen recruitment and I wouldn’t want to see them give up those efforts, which have the advantages of starting younger and improving academic preparation for demanding college curricula, as well as of accustoming applicants and their parents to the idea that their kids belong at these kinds of schools. But QB expands the geographical reach/horizons of such efforts and I think that’s great for both the students and schools involved.

Really happy to hear about the niece who got into UChicago. My kid’s there now and loving it!

[Anonymous]

Chicago's on DS's application list, as is Pitt! Glad to hear of good experiences in both schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the real hook URM + poverty? QB is a non factor. You're hyping too hard to be a casual observer. QB is hq'd in DC, yes?

I benefited from QB several years ago (was admitted to several partner schools, though I went elsewhere), so you're right that I'm not a casual observer. They are based in Palo Alto, CA.

I've never heard of QuestBridge before. I think the idea of getting poor smart kids hooked up to go to top universities is fantastic. Doesn't look like it's URM, just low SES and smart. Kudos to them.

To start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuestBridge

QB is all about finding those kids who are high achieving and low income. There are literally thousands of those kids out there - the majority ARE URM but that is not the driving factor. I posted upthread about the phenomenon of these students UNDERMATCHING - they mostly apply to schools that are way below their capability. The truth is that folks don't understand is that there way more students like this out there that are not in the pipeline for selective schools. Once they wake up and step into the game, the competition will get fiercer as time goes on. The benefit of all of this is getting these students in front of highly selective schools and QB applications are reviewed first.

https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/finalist-profile

My DC was invited to a selective college for a diversity fly-in program and met a ton of QB students. DC was impressed by all of them - they stay connected through Snapchat and they have been reporting their matches to the group. Really amazing. Also, want to point out that the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation does a similar program and those kids are amazing as well.