Silver Lining

Michael McCullough, QuestBridge’s Co-founder wrote an inspiring letter to student applicants which touched me profoundly. I’m reminded once again how fortunate we are to live in America, the Land of Opportunity. The beautifully written letter provides a lot of insights for all readers, especially for optimistic young students. Below is just an excerpt, visit the link http://bit.ly/M4Kajn to read the entire letter.


     “I should begin by saying that as a talented low-income student with an opportunity to attend an elite college, you are in no way poor. This is true no matter what your income is. I will explain why.


Only 1% of human beings are able to attend college—any college—even the worst one in the remotest area of the world. By simply aiming your life at college, you are already more fortunate than 99% of humanity.


But it gets better. As a talented low-income student, if you apply yourself and get the right advice, you can create the opportunity to attend a top-ranked American university. This gives you more opportunity than 99.99% percent of all students in the world. In other words, you will be offered tools and educational resources that only one in 10,000 people will ever have.”

---Michael McCullough, MD, QuestBridge Co-Founder and President

University of Notre Dame Quad

Not Just Another Number

One of the required essays on the QuestBridge College Match application was the biography essay. Students are given a chance to tell their personal story and to explain the factors and challenges that have most shaped their personal lives and aspirations. What a beautiful opportunity to get to know someone! The QB application allows each student to stand out individually, whereas, regular college applications have little room for personal expressions.

In 2008, Rachel and I went on a college campus tour after her application was accepted, and we interviewed with a college admissions officer. He was friendly and told us that he cried when he read my daughter’s essay. Rachel has agreed to let me share her biography essay with you.

My daughter Rachel

My eyes shifted to the left, then right. I looked up expectantly at the smiling man, his thick head of hair grayed more from wisdom then age. Silently, he put a finger to his lips and I nodded firmly in response. The quiet exchange of sweets passed from grandfather to granddaughter took place unbeknownst to the naïve mother. She didn’t need to know that her chuckling father watched on as I eagerly devoured five cookies, one after the other. My grandfather always gave me five cookies when my mother spent an eternity in the bathroom curling hair, darkening eyelashes, and painting lips red. Always five; never three, or just one. Ironic, since my grandmother, bringing all the dusty and seemingly ridiculous superstitions with her from China, believed that the number five brought ill fortune. The meticulous woman even went out of her way to ensure that the top of the Christmas tree bore six branches, never five.

I have never thought that I was born into an unlucky life, though certain circumstances would lead many to believe that fate sometimes frowns upon my existence. My parents divorced when I was three, my grandparents died when I had not even turned nine, and I have not seen my biological father since the age of eight. It may sound as if pain fills the crevices of my early life and that sorrow tears away the innocent world where childhood is supposed to exist. I will admit that looking back, I have faced much grief and still do today. However, I would never trade my upbringing with someone else. Too many wonderful memories and wonderful people reside in my past to yearn to erase the heartache that also exists there.

After the separation, my mother made the hardest decision of her life: she decided to return home and live with her parents, facing failure and shame as she walked through her second divorce. No longer did I see my father every day, instead spending time with my grandparents while my mom worked two jobs in defiance of charity. Unconsciously, I began to learn about my Chinese background as I listened and understood my grandmother’s Cantonese infused English, inhabited a house where Buddha and mythical goddesses adorned every tabletop, and filled my growling stomach with white rice every night.

During that time, I only saw the joy in every moment, as every child comprehends the thrill of simple things more than any adult will. Such things included trips to the supermarket with my grandparents every day. Yes, I did indeed go grocery shopping with two elderly people on a daily basis. Now, most children hate shopping because they’d rather be playing at home and in all reality looking at fruits and vegetables does not keep a child’s mind occupied. I do not remember loathing these bland excursions, however, instead looking forward to riding the mechanical penny horse after checking out. Nonetheless, I soon learned that such basic delights also carry ill fortuned charms.

On one such trip to the grocery store, my grandmother, pushing her cart in the parking lot, fell and did not get up. The wailing of the ambulance and the bright lights that assaulted my eyes horrified my five year old self. I remember how the salty tears would not stop falling and how I inhaled erratically with each breath. The one thing I recall most, however, was not the trauma of the situation, but instead the kindness that I received. A little black girl, who observed the whole scene, gazed at me as her eyes brimmed with sadness and understanding. “Here,” she whispered, offering me her juice box. I shook my head to say that I didn’t want it, and she nodded back. “It’s okay,” she said, and even though I couldn’t stop sobbing I believed her.

My grandmother’s fall and other distressing incidents that occurred can be called ill-fated, but from that day on, I had faith that everything will fall into place correctly. I hold fast to this conviction. I have grown and learned that material possessions, perfect family dynamics, and veiling the evils in this world cannot sugarcoat life. I don’t know why my biological father abused alcohol and drugs, why my grandmother chose to end her life, or why my family has to face foreclosure on our home. However, I now understand that everyone endures trials and hardships, but that doesn’t mean fortune favors some and spites others. I don’t believe in lucky numbers like my grandmother did. I make my own luck and I know that one day the silver lining will eclipse any dark clouds hovering from my past.

Cream of the Crop

Education has evolved through the years with the integration of modern technology. Click on the video below to watch the transformation of the classroom from past to future.




Last week I outlined the QuestBridge College Match process and the important dates associated with each step. On December 1, 2011, 321 exceptional high school seniors received the College Match Notification; they will receive a full scholarship which covers tuition, room, and board for four years at their chosen partnered colleges!

Out of 7,823 applications, 3,850 made it to the final round. The QB National College Match is extremely selective and applicants are evaluated on the following criteria:

·         Grade Point Average (GPA) and Rigor of Courses: Honors, AP, IB

·         Class rank: Over 75% of finalists are in the top 5% of their class.

·         Standardized test scores: The average test scores of past finalists are 1940 for the SAT and 30 for the ACT. SAT Subject Tests and AP test results are also considered.

·         Extracurricular achievements: Accomplishments, leadership roles, and community activities.

·         Essays: Most finalists' essays are well written and show intellectual spark, enthusiasm, and compassion for others.

·         Recommendations: Two Teacher Recommendations and Counselor Recommendation

·         Annual household income: Households earning less than $60,000.

·         Parents' level of education: Whether or not parents went to college

·         Extenuating circumstances: For example, working after school to help pay the bills, or caring for siblings while parents work.

Of the 321 National College Match award recipients:

·         78% were among the first generation in their family to attend college.

·         30% were 1st in their class.

·         84% were in the top 5% of their class.

SAT Score (CR + M)

·         12% scored above 1500

·         38% scored above 1400

·         68% scored above 1300

·         88% scored above 1200

Income

·         28% had family income less than $20,000

·         69% had family income less than $40,000

·         96% had family income less than $60,000

Source: retrieved from http://questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-match-recipient-profile

going...going...GONE!!!

FACT: In 2010, QuestBridge's partner colleges offered admission and more than $100 million in financial aid to over 1,000 students who applied to the National College Match.

The entire QuestBridge College Match process lasted five months. I’ll never forget the day the QB application was due; the QB website was bogged down by many procrastinators. My daughter, Rachel, kept on receiving a failed message every time she tried to submit her online application. I was literally having a nervous breakdown! After repeatedly trying to “send” for three hours, it finally went through…Hallelujah!!! Later, we found out that many applicants experienced the same problem and the application deadline was extended one more day.

Important QB College Match Deadlines:

• August:  QuestBridge College Match Application is available. The QB application is completed online through a “My Locker” Web page. Students “apply” and register with a user name and password.

• September 30:  Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Student submits application and supplemental materials (three essays, 14 short questions, two teacher’s recommendations, one college counselor’s recommendation, grade transcript, signed acknowledgement form, and SAT/ACT test scores)

• October 12:  Student submits eight college choices in ranked order.

• October 21:  Finalist Notification. Student is considered for Match Scholarship. Student must submit college-specific supplements and parents’ financial information. Student cannot apply early decision or early action to other colleges. College Match application is binding.

• November 1:  College-specific materials deadline.

• December 1:  Match notification. Applicants are notified whether or not they receive QB Match Scholarship.

Click here to view the process flow chart: http://questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-flowchart

Next week, I’ll reveal the QuestBridge selection criteria and what a QB Scholar profile looks like.

A Full Ride

Image getting a free ride to one of the Ivies, such as Yale, Princeton, Penn, or Brown. Or how about attending a world-renown school like MIT, Columbia, or University of Chicago? These top-notched universities are among the 31 partnered schools participating in the QuestBridge program. Click to view the complete list of QuestBridge partnered schools below:

http://www.questbridge.org/partner-colleges/overview-listing 

Over $2 billion dollars in full financial aid offers have been awarded to QuestBridge scholars since 1994. This sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Believe it! My daughter is attending the #4 ranked dream school by parents according to the Princeton Review http://www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.aspx. It wasn't hard for my daughter to turn down the University of Michigan because of the student loans. Instead, through QuestBridge, Notre Dame offered a generous financial aid package that covered her entire tuition and more!  

Top colleges are seeking talented low-income students to apply to their schools to diversify their campuses, not only in race, religion, and interests, but also from different social economics backgrounds. Many talented low-income students are unaware of the opportunities that exist for them to attend a four-year university. In most cases, the costs to attend a QuestBridge partner school are less than attending a local community college. Below are some startling statistics from QuestBridge:

• 84% of America’s qualified low-income students do not even apply to one top college and

• 44% do not attend a four-year college at all.

QuestBridge's Mission:

• QuestBridge aims to create a singular place where exceptionally talented low-income students can navigate educational and life opportunities.

• QuestBridge recruits, develops, and supports motivated low-income students – beginning in high school through college to their first job – to be successful at America's best colleges, graduate schools, and companies.

QuestBridge offers students a chance to apply to eight partnered colleges for FREE! That’s a huge savings when an application fee for a top college can range from $65 for Notre Dame to $90 for Stanford. There was one high school student in my daughter’s class that spent over $2,000 applying to different colleges! The QuestBridge application allows students to tell their personal stories, including hardships and achievements, to the college admissions officials.

My daughter’s completed online application with multiple questions and essays was over 23 pages long. The required teachers’ recommendations, college counselor’s report, grade transcripts, SAT and ACT test scores, and financial aid forms were submitted separately. In addition to QuestBridge's application requirements, each college had its own specific supplements, which included more essays and questions. Applying to the QuestBridge National College Match is one of my daughter’s biggest accomplishments.

Next week, I’ll dive into the QuestBridge application process details. Be sure to check out the video below by a QuestBridge National College Match Recipient for more information including what qualifies as a low-income. 

Rags to Riches

I loved the movie, The Blind Side, with Saundra Bullock.
The movie portrayed a talented young man that overcame many obstacles: born poor, one of 12 children, and his mother was an alcoholic and crack addict. Against all odds, Michael Oher was     given an opportunity to enroll in a Christian school, live with a wealthy family, and later went on to play college football. Today, Michael is an offensive lineman playing for the Baltimore Ravens! I always cry when I hear inspiring stories on how people overcame adversity. QuestBridge scholars have similar amazing stories. 

Daniel Flores is a 2009 QuestBridge College Match Recipient. Daniel’s parents were immigrants from Peru that spoke little English. They settled in San Antonio, Texas, in a neighborhood full of crime and violence. Even though his parents never attended college, they believed that education would be the key to his success.

Daniel attended a large public high school with over 4,000 students. His school was one of the most violent in the district with a parole officer on campus. Despite the dim circumstances, Daniel was involved in sports such as soccer, swimming, and water polo. He was also part of the Honor Societies and volunteered in community service. He pushed himself academically by taking advanced classes. After graduation, Daniel planned to enroll in his local community college. One day, a friend pointed to a QuestBridge poster hanging in a classroom and said, “Hey, you should do that.” Even though it sounded too good to be true, he applied and submitted the QuestBridge National College application. Today, he is attending Northwestern University for four years free including room and board! Over $220,000 was awarded by Northwestern.

Next week, I will share how QuestBridge is partnering with the nation’s top universities.

To view Daniel Flores’ full story and to read about other QuestBridge success stories, go to:

http://questbridge.org/about-questbridge/success-stories.

http://questbridge.org/news-and-events/qb-students-in-the-news.

QuestBridge Experience

My goal is to reach low-income parents with academically gifted students. I believe that parents, grandparents, and guardians, play a significant role in influencing their child's high academic standards with hopes of them attending a reputable college. I remember the countless hours worrying about how to pay for college without any savings. Fortunately, it was through a postcard that I learned about QuestBridge and the college application process.

The journey began in the fall of 2008. I encouraged and assisted my daughter, Rachel, every step of the way during the QuestBridge application process by gathering the necessary financial documents and keeping track of the application deadlines. Like most high achievers, my daughter was busy with AP classes, varsity sports, and community service during this time. The entire application process was challenging and very time-consuming! I commend everyone that persevered and submitted all the required items during the college match process!

I would love to hear from you if you are a parent of a QuestBridge scholar or want to learn more about QuestBridge from a mom like me.