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How to Win the QuestBridge Scholarship


The QuestBridge organization provides a variety of resources and services for college-bound high school students and current post-secondary students as well. Rather than having a simple application process for the scholarship itself, students need to be nominated by an educator, guidance counselor, organization, or other official individual for consideration. Although the numbers change from year to year, approximately 1,600 young people received full scholarships to colleges and universities. They now have the opportunity to attend one of the forty-five college partners associated with QuestBridge to complete their four-year degree programs without accruing student loan debt.

QuestBridge Scholarship – Eligibility for the College Match Program

Although specific deadlines and graduation criteria exist as with all scholarships, the unique National College Match program from QuestBridge also looks at academic achievement and financial status to determine whose application is accepted. Their website states that these guidelines are not carved in stone. If an exceptional nominee lacks one of the specific achievements, they may still get selected for the program if impressive in other ways.

If you want to win the QuestBridge scholarship you should earn a lot of A grades in your high school career. A focus on honors and advanced placement (AP) classes is also looked upon with great favor. They appreciate nominees in the top 5 to 10 percent of their class with SAT scores above 1260. If you also have ACT scores or any other standardized test accomplishments, they are worth sharing with the decision committee. However, test scores are not a specific deciding factor. You can apply even if you did not take any of them. There is an essay portion of the QuestBridge scholarship, so writing skill and creativity also help.

The unique structure of this College Match scholarship program makes it a combination of both merit-based and need-based. The rewards are most frequently given to people whose families earn less than $65,000 per year. This amount pertains to a family of four and, of course, individual household circumstances are taken into account. There is no automatic exclusion due to income level or amount of assets.

What else can you do to increase the chance of winning a QuestBridge scholarship? As with all applications for free money for college, you need to follow all the rules, fill in the forms and provide documentation before the deadline, and present yourself in the best way possible. Since this program focuses on both merit and need, it helps to have something extra to share with them. Community service projects, volunteer programs, and extracurricular activities can help. Awards and special honors from your school or any recognized organization also make you more attractive. Overall, your dedication to working hard toward a brighter future is one of the key factors in whether you get a QuestBridge scholarship or not. All you can do to demonstrate this will not only increase your chances of free money for school but also serve you well in the years to come.