How Peter Got a Full Ride Scholarship

Just yesterday I was thinking back to what I was doing last August, and it dawned on me that I should tell you more about QuestBridge in time for you to apply this year. We heard of them through a mailing, I think, and it looked interesting, but we set it aside. Then a couple of months later, Peter came bounding down the stairs and said, "I really think we should try this." He'd been researching Questbridge online and it seemed like a good fit for him. They are looking for "outstanding low-income students" who want to go to Ivy League type schools on full four-year scholarships. see profile of last year's recipient's income levels and other factors

The application process is completely free and is basically transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essay questions. Peter had very high SAT and ACT scores but his transcript grades were just Pass/Fail. I liked this process because it allowed Peter to explain his schooling and show who he really is. The application deadline is September 30. click here for how to apply

He had to choose eight schools from their list and rank them in order of preference. QuestBridge then looked over his application, and since he made it through their screening, they passed his info on to the schools of his choice (with no application fees). If his number one school accepted him, he'd get a full ride. If not, maybe his number two pick would take him, and so on down the list. You have to go to the first school that accepts you, so your list of preferences has to be well thought out. His first choice was the University of Chicago, and it is known for taking brainy, quirky kids, and that's him. It's the perfect place for him, and he loves it.

Here's a quote from the QuestBridge website:

The QuestBridge College Match process pairs outstanding low-income students with early admission and full four-year scholarships to top-ranked colleges.

• Students participating in the College Match process complete one application by September 30 and use it to apply early to up to 8 of QuestBridge's 25 partner colleges, ranking the schools in order of preference. The rankings are binding (with the exception of MIT, Notre Dame, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale); students must attend the school highest on their ranking list that also admits them. Please see the College Match Process page for details.

• Last year, 260 QuestBridge applicants who participated in the College Match process were selected as College Match scholarship recipients, gaining admission and full scholarships to our partner colleges.

If you decide to apply to colleges through QuestBridge, make copies of everything before you mail. Then, if you don't make it through all the screening processes, you will have a lot of paperwork ready to apply the good old fashioned way. This is an early admission process, and if you don't get a QuestBridge scholarship, they let you know as soon as possible, giving you plenty of time to apply to colleges on your own.

If you decide to apply through QuestBridge this year and need some advice, just leave a comment here. :)

Be sure to see my post Homeschoolers and College Scholarships.

Here are the transcript forms I used for Peter:

Home School High School Transcript

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High School Extracurricular Activities Template

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