On October 19, a handful of CCHS students spent the afternoon glued to their cell phones, obsessively refreshing their emails. After having undergone a rigorous application process involving numerous essays and an early deadline, they were awaiting an email that could potentially transform their lives – their Questbridge decisions.
Questbridge is an organization that provides high-achieving, low-income students with the opportunity to transcend financial barriers and pursue their goal of receiving an exceptional higher education. Sixteen students applied to Questbridge’s National College Match, which helps high school seniors gain admission and a full four-year scholarship to the nation’s most competitive colleges and universities.
Senior Stav Sharoni was one of the 16 CCHS students who applied to the scholarship program for 2017-2018 – a far larger number than in recent years. Still, the number of applicants represents a fraction of the entire student body, and even fewer make the cut to become finalists.
“At around 6:00, I got the email and I was extremely excited that I actually got the opportunity to continue with Questbridge,” Sharoni said.
Because students from a lower socioeconomic status can lack confidence, resources, guidance and opportunities, Questbridge offers the College Prep Scholar program, which prepares low-income juniors for the college admissions process, and the Quest for Excellence Awards, which recognize talented students in numerous fields. Ultimately, the program envisions a world where the potential of bright minds does not go overlooked simply because of socioeconomic status. With 4,214 students so far admitted to a partner university on a full four-year scholarship, it’s clear that Questbridge is actively working toward that goal.
Though they have been named Questbridge finalists, there is more work to be done for the students. To take advantage of the full scholarship that they have been offered, they must gain acceptance into one of the organization’s partner schools. Since October 19, the finalists have been busy preparing and submitting their supplemental essays for the schools that they will apply to through the Questbridge program. They have already submitted their “rankings,” an ordered list of up to twelve colleges that they are interested in attending. Their applications will go through the admissions process of each individual school, and if they are matched, they will attend the highest-ranked school that they have been accepted to.
“We have had at least one student [matched] each year within the past four years,” BRACE advisor Christine Siwek said. “The more the kids hear about it, the more excited they get about it, and the more students we have apply. It’s great because it puts them in the bucket to win.”
Though acceptance to the schools is not guaranteed, the current Questbridge finalists hold on to the hope that they will soon join the ranks of the few thousand students who have matched so far. With college match results coming out on December 1, they do not have to wait much longer to find out.
“Now I am at the hardest part of the Questbridge National College Match program, [which is] waiting,” finalist Challet Jeong said. “All I can do right now is hope for the best now that my [applications are] sent in, and focus on my school work.”
Photo courtesy of QuestBridge
