Kids are matching to test-required Ivies via Questbridge with SATs in the 1300s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn't swap you life with 99% of Questbridge kids even if it meant getting into an Ivy. My kids would NOT have gotten anywhere near matching if they'd grown up poor.

Part of the reason I celebrated so joyously when mine got a t10 acceptance was because I also worked hard AF to support them from daycare-to-graduation.

Any kid who can do that in QB level poverty has my respect

Questbridge level poverty is $65K for a family of 4.
Poverty level for family of 4 is $31K

They don't have travel hockey money but they're not in abject poverty.

This is a weird take because federal poverty level is widely regarded as being wildly out of step with the times. It is meant to reflect 3x the price of food for a given family, but over time it has only been adjusted according to the broader consumer price index rather than food-specific numbers.

The actual poverty rate should be much closer to the QB number than the current guideline.

+1. FT minimum wage work in DC is above 31K annually.

[Anonymous]

It is a godsend for the kids who get the full ride on reduced credentials compared to regular admitees. It seems to benefit a lot more lower income Asians and whites than African Americans and hispanics.

Realize also that this is paid for by the full pay students just as the full pay students pay for the other kids getting in with financial aid. Schools rarely use endowments to fund these programs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

How? Are they counting non-US degrees as no degree?

Unfortunately, yes.

[Anonymous]

Questbridge works great for those kids with foreign born parents, money can stay hidden overseas in some cases

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

How? Are they counting non-US degrees as no degree?

Unfortunately, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

How? Are they counting non-US degrees as no degree?

Unfortunately, yes.

Ooof. Totally violates the spirit.

[Anonymous]

does a questbridge acceptance hurt chances for other kids applying to same school in either ED or RD bz taking away a slot ?

Anonymous wrote:Questbridge works great for those kids with foreign born parents, money can stay hidden overseas in some cases

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

How? Are they counting non-US degrees as no degree?

Unfortunately, yes.

[Anonymous]

So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The issue you're seeing is an issue with FAFSA and CSS. If there's not a custody battle in your family, you can use your parents income no matter who you live with. So if your parents are poor and you spend your life with your grandparents that are wealthy, they require you to still use your parents income. That's an issue with the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thing is so disgusting and needs to stop. I understand you may be negatively impacted if you're low income. But what tf does first gen have anything to do with your underperformance? Should I complain about stars not aligning for me and then try to gain advantage?

A lot: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2021/05/18/first-generation-college-graduates-lag-behind-their-peers-on-key-economic-outcomes/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this just hidden affirmative action?

No, because QB demographics include white and Asian students. At my former university the majority of QB students were Asian, which I think is great.

How? Are they counting non-US degrees as no degree?

Often, students do that to claim first gen status. There's no vetting on applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The system can be gamed and is by a few. I know kids whose parents were doctors in home country (so not qualified to be doctors here) and they came a few years ago and the dad did only cash employment in Queens, NY until kids graduated from HS so they could apply through QB and kids are at very good colleges. They used the same system to get lower income housing in NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The system can be gamed and is by a few. I know kids whose parents were doctors in home country (so not qualified to be doctors here) and they came a few years ago and the dad did only cash employment in Queens, NY until kids graduated from HS so they could apply through QB and kids are at very good colleges. They used the same system to get lower income housing in NYC.

This seems like so much effort, especially because questbridge match rates are lower than the university's ED rates. Why would you become poor in a foreign country to do a worse admissions process for college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The issue you're seeing is an issue with FAFSA and CSS. If there's not a custody battle in your family, you can use your parents income no matter who you live with. So if your parents are poor and you spend your life with your grandparents that are wealthy, they require you to still use your parents income. That's an issue with the system.

Suppose a pair of well-to-do (grand)parents has a child who gets on the wrong track with crime or drugs, or illness, becomes a single parent of a kid, and then loses custody to (grand)parents. Is that kid "privileged" or nah?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The system can be gamed and is by a few. I know kids whose parents were doctors in home country (so not qualified to be doctors here) and they came a few years ago and the dad did only cash employment in Queens, NY until kids graduated from HS so they could apply through QB and kids are at very good colleges. They used the same system to get lower income housing in NYC.

How good does a cash only job pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I was on Instgram today and noticed some Questbridge posts in my feed. Looked at some hoping for good news stories as I wait for my non Questbridge kid’s results. Saw one who posted with tons of pictures from what looked like a lovely and fancy warm climate (palm trees and twinkly lights and a plaza of some sort). Of course I’m nosy and dig deeper. Lots of pics on her IG of her dressed stylishly, with her super cute stylishly dressed friends, in Europe, at college football games for a public college in Alabama, celebrating a birthday in NYC, with LV and Lulu bags. In short, this child does not look impoverished in any way and it makes me wonder how rigorous the Questbridge eligibility process is.

Before I get skewered, I don’t think that QB kids should be miserable or in ripped clothes or have a crap life. But this one feels over the top to me.

The system can be gamed and is by a few. I know kids whose parents were doctors in home country (so not qualified to be doctors here) and they came a few years ago and the dad did only cash employment in Queens, NY until kids graduated from HS so they could apply through QB and kids are at very good colleges. They used the same system to get lower income housing in NYC.

What a strange twist. I remember in the 90s there were all kinds of super well educated refugees from Eastern Europe driving taxis and doing handyman stuff. They lost everything in their home countries and had to start over.