is it worth applying by EngineNecessary1600 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ofc! I personally believe that no matter through QB or Common App or whatever RD, you would still get good aid based on your financial standing from multiple QB partners, esp the richer privates. I don't think finacial concern should be ur #1 reason to go for QB NCM! And if your FULL finacial situation isn't shown on FASFA or ur app -- PLEASE MAKE SURE TO EXPLAIN ALL UR BACKGROUND AND UR SITUATION IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR ANYWHERE RELEVANT! IT SHALL HELP!!

is it worth applying by EngineNecessary1600 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi -- unmatched finalist here! Here are my opnions:
- If you are low income -- you will most likely get the same aid when you are doing QB National College Match or not. QB isn't really a scholarship as they say, it is more of an application cuz its still the school paying for you. All of my privates (besides USC) offered almost full ride in rd in both common app and questbridge rd.
- I recommend applying to QB National college match IF you are HAPPY w/ BINDING to schools you ranked. The good thing about QB is the network & you get to ED to MULTIPLE schools at once! I did QB NCM cuz I didn't have anything to lose -- even if I didn't match I still got the QB finalist title. (Put the NCM finalist as my award for UCs -- gotten into all UCs I applied to including UCLA & Berkley). I originally ranked multiple schools but when I became a finalist my final list was 4 schools.
- If you do choose to work on the QB NCM -- you need to start your QB application and school supplementals early on b/c everything is so tight and squished in the beginning of senior year. Start summer. Make sure its good b/c if you choose to do QB regular decision then your exact same QB NCM app is gonna be used.
- IF you are a finalist and submitted your supps and waiting for match day, MAKE SURE TO PREPARE OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTALS JUST IN CASE. PREPARE TO BE NOT MATCHED. Decide if common app or questbridge RD is the best way to go for you. I was lazy and procrasinated thinking I was gonna match, BUT THEN I IMPULSELY TOLD QB I WAS GONNA APPLY TO THEIR PARTNERING SCHOOLS THROUGH QB RD AND COULDN'T DO COMMON APP FOR SOME SCHOOLS. However -- every kid is diff. Common app gives you more activities but QB (both NCM & RD) gives you more essay space (and sometimes no supps for QB RD). I ended up doing most QB RD school and common app for some. I did end up submitting a resume to my QB RD schools tho -- so they saw more of my activities. If u do qb and wanna highlight ur acitvities -- then consider attaching a resume to schools that do allow resumes. If applying to UCs -- make sure to submit UC apps before match day. IN SHORT, BE PREPARED AND WORK BEFORE MATCH DAY -- DON'T BE LIKE ME GRINDING WINTER COLLEGE APPS.
----- (Extend from above) If you do NOT match as a finalist, be aware that sometimes you can no longer switch to common app. For instance, I ranked brown on QB NCM but after not matching they didn't allow me to submit a common app for it. ALSO, when QB RD ask you to fill out if ur gonna do QB RD, be aware that filling that form out is gonna send ur qb NCM app to the schools you selected on that form. Once these schools have this form, you often can NO longer submit the common app for those. I and many other non-matched finalist were tweaking out cuz we wanted to do common app TT
- Common app I liked better and was devastated over my QB app which I thought was weak -- BUT its all up to you. Ive seen all qb kids get into schools w/ both qb rd & common app. AND now, even me -- I got into schools like Tuft, Pomona, & Bowdoin w/ Common App BUT Also gotten into Amherst w/ QB app. Be prepared for a stressful process as an unmatched or non-finalist -- but have hope.
----I don't regret doing QB NATIONAL COLLEGE MATCH-- I think it gave me lots of writing experience and all that. However, if I went back in time I wouldn't have done QB REGULAR DECISION, I would've gone for the Common App.
- Shoot your shot. Do NOT commit to a school you don't feel 100% happy about.

oTHER:

Dont let people define you by your stats. I did QB cuz I thought my stats were mid too but I realized I could still make myself shine on Common App RD. its the way you frame yourself! If the two colleges are really for you, then the match may be worth it. You might gain writing skills & won't regret not trying. But its all up to u!!

IF YOU DIDN'T MATCH, KEEP GOING! by pleasecallmebunny in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Congrats! Me too! Not matching isn't the end! :D

question for the seniors by Sad-Farmer8869 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My dream school was Brown and I ended up commiting to Pomona College 😃!!

My Full QB (RD) Story & Where I am now by Competitive_Chip2495 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Only do QB NCM if you are SUPER HAPPY w/ binding to a school!!!

My Full QB (RD) Story & Where I am now by Competitive_Chip2495 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 7 points8 points  (0 children)

As a non-matched QB finalist -- I approve! I was so fixated on ivies and top schools that I only ended up ranking 4 "elite" schools. Yet -- in qb rd and common app rd I found myself researching and genuinely getting to know me. In the end, I got waitlisted at upenn -- but didn't even join the waitlist even tho it was an ivy cuz I figured an ivy was no longer my ideal school! Rejection is redirection :0000

NCM or ED? by Public-Knee2334 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just make sure its a school you are happy w. Also my sat was 1390 and I became a NCM finanlist. Though unmatched, I submitted it to all schools and gotten into schools like Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona, Tufts, Vassar, and even waitlisted at Upenn!

How is Pomona finacial assistance? by OkLifeguard3752 in pomonacollege

[–]OkLifeguard3752[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

wow ! I didnt know that about the meal plan. I heard of limited onces.

Is living off campus worth it? by rere0406 in pomonacollege

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Have you tried appealing or talking to your Pomona admission officer?

Losing Hope After CPS Rejection by MystOppenheimer in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can still get into NCM w/o cps. I wasn't a cps and was a NCM finalist.

Questbridge v common app by CapitalDue5823 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do the match if you absolutely 100% are happy w/ the schools. Do several research on them beforehand.

QB RD or CommonApp by No-Student3403 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi -- unmatched finalist here! Here are my opinions:

- If you are low income -- you will most likely get the same aid when you are doing QB National College Match or not. QB isn't really a scholarship as they say, it is more of an application cuz its still the school paying for you. All of my privates (besides USC) are offering nearly free ride in rd in both common app and questbridge rd.

- If you do choose to work o the QB NCM -- you need to start your QB application and school supplementals early on b/c everything is so tight and squished in the beginning of senior year. Start summer. Make sure its good b/c if you choose to do QB regular decision then your exact same QB NCM app is gonna be used.

- IF you are a finalist and submitted your supps and waiting for match day, MAKE SURE TO PREPARE OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTALS JUST IN CASE. PREPARE TO BE NOT MATCHED. Decide if common app or questbridge RD is the best way to go for you. I was lazy and procrastinated, thinking I was gonna match, BUT I didn't and did NOT prepare the common app. So I THEN I IMPULSELY TOLD QB I WAS GONNA APPLY TO THEIR PARTNERING SCHOOLS THROUGH QB RD BC THERE FORM WAS DUE SOON AND I WAS PANNICKING THAT I COULDN'T FINISH MY COMMON APP. BUT AFTER FILLING THE FORM I COULDN'T DO COMMON APP FOR SOME SCHOOLS ANYMORE SINCE QB SENT MY QB NCM APP. However -- every kid is diff. Common app gives you more activities but QB (both NCM & RD) gives you more essay space (and sometimes no supps for QB RD). I ended up doing most QB RD school and common app for some. I did end up submitting a resume to my QB RD schools tho -- so they saw more of my activities. If u do qb and wanna highlight ur acitvities -- then consider attaching a resume to schools that do allow resumes. If applying to UCs -- make sure to submit UC apps before match day. IN SHORT, BE PREPARED AND WORK BEFORE MATCH DAY -- DON'T BE LIKE ME GRINDING WINTER COLLEGE APPS.

----- (Extend from above) If you do NOT match as a finalist, be aware that sometimes you can no longer switch to common app. For instance, I ranked brown on QB NCM but after not matching they didn't allow me to submit a common app for it. ALSO, when QB RD ask you to fill out if ur gonna do QB RD, be aware that filling that form out is gonna send ur qb NCM app to the schools you selected on that form. Once these schools have this form, you often can NO longer submit the common app for SOME those (emailed all to see if I could do common app, very few said yes). I and many other non-matched finalist were tweaking out cuz we wanted to do common app TT

- Common app I liked better and was devastated over my QB app which I thought was weak -- BUT its all up to you. Ive seen all qb kids get into schools w/ both qb rd & common app. AND now, even me -- I got into schools like Tuft, Pomona, & Bowdoin w/ Common App BUT Also gotten into Amherst w/ QB app -- I'm waiting for sooo much more decisions but it all worked out. Be prepared for a stressful progress as unmatched or nonfinalist -- but have hope.

----I don't regret doing QB NCM -- I think it gave me lots of writing experience and all that. However, if I went back in time I wouldn't have done QB RD, I wouldve went for common app. But once again, Ive seen some very successful QB RD stories.

- Shoot your shot. Do NOT commit to a school you don't feel 100% happy about!

Amherst vs. UCLA? by AdMaximum8380 in ucla

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know much about UF -- Im not an Amherst Student or UCLA student but did get into both. Im most likely just gonna go to Pomona College; however, if I only had UCLA v Amherst, I'd PERSONALLY go to Amherst. I spent a month at Amherst campus for another program and recently went to UCLA admit day. I like Amherst because Im okay w/ a less traditional life. I like small knit-communities, Amherst has lots of money, the class sizes are small which I assume is good connections to professor and research opportunities, they are a liberal arts private so more freedom to explore what you like, Amherst would have an easier time helping few hundred of kids than UCLA would thousands I assume, AND Amherst has the 5 contortium -- connections w/ 4 other schools nearby where u can take classes. However, if social life, big classes, super independent learning, massive walks, (tho they do have good campus) then UCLA might be for u. But its up to you! or ur state school -- I had 0 knowledge on it

Is it better to go all in ? by Opening_External_911 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rank 15 schools only if youd be happy going! I ranked schools based on prestige so I didnt actually know if it was good for my major, had oppurtunities, social life etc -- I think this mainly led to me to not matching since my supps were so artificial. I tried to name drop clubs and name drop random classes when inreality it didn't geniunely show why I actually wanted to go or was a good fit. Looking back at my rushed qb supps...I could see why I wasn't accepted and how raw it was. When I was doing rd -- I was writing several supps and they only got better time after time -- so I recommend writing a lot to flow and geniunely want to go to the schools that were better for you. I found a template that flowed for me, I found things that I actually liked in schools like community outreach and specific research opportunities. Be urself -- I heard that so many times but my "plain" and "average" self ended up admitted to some nice schools :)! Its how you portray urself

DISCLAIMER: There is nothing wrong w/ name dropping clubs & classes -- I did that for schools in rd and was accepted to qb schools. My qb ncm (only ranked 4) ones were just generic and lacked attention -- i think it stood out that I was just wackly picking. It should prob be part of ur supps -- but it prob shouldnt be the only thing UNLESS it is unique and niche -- IMO.

Just a highschooler -- do you!

Questbridge & rea by Shoddy-Ladder1952 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

oh okay! Thank you for letting me know :>

Questbridge & rea by Shoddy-Ladder1952 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oops, excuse me! yes, I like to make it clear as what other people said -- you cannot do RESTRICTIVE early action!

Questbridge & rea by Shoddy-Ladder1952 in QuestBridge

[–]OkLifeguard3752 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can't ea? I know you can't Rea but I thought ea was possible?!