QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that connects high-achieving, low-income students with full scholarships to the nation’s top colleges. QuestBridge offers two main programs for students: the National College Match and the College Prep Scholars Program.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the National College Match, students must meet the following criteria:
- Be a high school senior in the U.S. or a U.S. citizen or permanent resident attending high school abroad
- Have a strong academic record, typically in the top 5-10% of their class
- Demonstrate financial need, with an annual household income of less than $65,000 for a family of four (more details on the income guidelines can be found here)
- Show evidence of personal and academic excellence, such as leadership, community service, extracurricular activities, awards, and honors
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Financial Coverage
Students who are selected as Finalists for the National College Match can rank up to 12 of QuestBridge’s 40 partner colleges and apply to them through a single application. If they are matched with one of their ranked colleges, they will receive a full four-year scholarship from that college, worth over $200,000 each. The scholarship covers the following costs:
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board
- Books and supplies
- Travel expenses
The scholarship does not require any parental contribution or student loans, but it may include a student contribution in the form of work-study, summer work, or student savings.
Requirements
To apply for the National College Match, students must complete the following requirements:
- Submit the QuestBridge National College Match application, which includes information about their academic and financial background, personal essays, short answer questions, and recommendations
- Submit standardized test scores, such as SAT, ACT, PSAT, or PreACT, if available (test scores are optional for most partner colleges due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Submit high school transcripts and other academic records
- Submit any additional materials required by the partner colleges they rank, such as supplemental essays, financial aid forms, or additional recommendations
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Document Requirements
The documents that students need to submit for the National College Match application are:
- A QuestBridge Application Form, which can be accessed here
- Two letters of recommendation from teachers who know the student well and can speak to their academic abilities and personal qualities
- A Secondary School Report from a high school counselor or another school official who can provide information about the student’s academic performance and context
- A School Profile, which is a document that describes the student’s high school, such as its curriculum, grading system, and demographics
- An official high school transcript that shows the student’s grades and courses from 9th to 11th grade, and a senior year schedule if available
- Standardized test score reports, if available (students can self-report their scores on the application or send official score reports to QuestBridge and the partner colleges they rank)
- Any additional documents required by the partner colleges they rank, such as the CSS Profile, the FAFSA, the IDOC, or the Noncustodial Parent Form (more details on the college-specific requirements can be found here)
Application Procedure
The application procedure for the National College Match consists of the following steps:
- Create a QuestBridge account and start the application.
- Complete and submit the application by the deadline of September 26, 2023
- Receive notification of Finalist status by mid-October 2023
- Rank up to 12 partner colleges and submit any additional materials by late October 2023
- Receive notification of Match results by early December 2023
- If matched, celebrate and enroll at the matched college
- If not matched, explore other options, such as applying to partner colleges through QuestBridge Regular Decision, applying to non-partner colleges through other admission plans, or applying to the QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program for juniors
Deadline
The deadline to submit the National College Match application is September 26, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Students are advised to start the application early and check the deadlines and requirements for each partner college they rank.
How to Apply
To apply for the National College Match, students must follow the instructions and guidelines provided by QuestBridge on their website here.
