Imagine earning a full scholarship to a top-tier university without worrying about the financial burden. For thousands of students nationwide, QuestBridge is turning that dream into a reality, one life-changing match at a time. QuestBridge is a nonprofit founded by Ana Mallari and Dr. Michael McCullough in 1994 with the mission statement that all students deserve the right to get a proper education, regardless of their financial background. For many students, the idea of attending a prestigious university may seem impossible, but this scholarship made it possible, breaking down barriers and connecting students with wonderful opportunities.
While QuestBridge is a wonderful opportunity for many students, it is incredibly competitive with certain requirements. Students need to be high school seniors with mostly A’s in rigorous courses and demonstrate financial need. The majority of students come from households that earn less than $65,000 per year, but there is no firm requirement as each application is reviewed independently. Once a student has sent in their application, they rank their college preferences, and their information will be sent to their top five schools. They look over their application and if matched, they are guaranteed a full-ride scholarship. However, the applicants need to know that when they enter their top five schools, if they match with one of them, they have to go to that school so they must rank their top schools first. Jennifer Anderson, the North Atlanta College and Career Center Coordinator, said, “I think it a wonderful platform that allows students to connect to over 50 schools.”
This program has been used for many years at North Atlanta for talented students to go to their top-choice school, without any financial burden. This year, senior Iridian Ramos was matched with her dream school, Cornell University. She found out about QuestBridge the summer before senior year when she was determined to get a head start on her college plan. She applied in September as soon as the application opened and in October, she found out that she was a national match, allowing her to put in her top five schools and wait nervously until December second to know if she matched. She ended up matching with her top school, Cornell. This was a lifelong dream for her, one that she never thought was possible before Questbridge came around. “I think it is worth applying, no matter how ambitious it is as you never know the opportunities that are meant for you unless you put yourself out there and try,” Ramos said.
By designing a program that has provided support across the United States, QuestBridge proves that with hard work and determination, even the most ambitious dreams can become reality.
