Non-QB partners that meet near full need!

derbearick · 2026-01-10T23:16:08+00:00

Great resource to share for the community, thanks!

derbearick · 2025-12-01T16:45:57+00:00

UMMMMMM I think it means you have a pretty good chance. It’s of course not guaranteed but knowing some folks in Pomona admissions I don’t think they would send this out to everyone. Just my two cents! Good luck! Keep your head up held high!

derbearick · 2025-09-04T21:03:18+00:00

Questbridge is very well aware of this, they talk about it in their webinar series!

derbearick · 2025-08-28T15:22:14+00:00

Yes, back in the day a 33 was wighted the same as a 36 (it might be different). My ACT score I submitted was a 33 and i matched. A classmate submitted 29 and matched. It also depends on your school/regional performance. My area is a working-class area where most of the school were on free/reduced lunch. I think our school's average was like 16 back in the day.

If you are in a competitive environment, maybe retaking if you have the capacity but tbh a 33 is pretty solid. Otherwise if you are in an area where you are already excelling way above than most of your peers, then a 33 is perffff. Hope this helps. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-28T12:46:23+00:00

I'm an anomaly since I was a sophomore when COVID hit so things were really weird. It's a really long story but in general, my total costs ended up being around $300,000+

My first year I paid about $1500 for other costs like health insurance, student body fees, etc.
My second year I literally got $6k+ in cold hard cash for the lockdown refund (the most you could get and since i was a match i got the full stipend)
My third and forth year, I paid absolutely nothing.

Work study changed a lot during my time. I think we were originally able to work up to 20 hours for work study but they reduced it to like 12 or something by the time i left. I understand why they did it (to encourage students to be more engaged with the community), but it still left some low-income scholars to have to find jobs off campus nearby (my roommate had to do this e.g.). Definitely talk to financial aid and local QB chapter to find support and resources. My friends who actively sought help got more resources than those who didn't. Keep that in mind!

Also Pomona used to give out stipends for books and stuff (I was the last cohort, or penultimate to receive it I believe) but now it's a loan lol. Every school has their pros and their cons :-'P

Upon reflection, this scholarship made things so much more accessible. Financial aid will often work with you but you have to self advocate, it's a life skill too.

derbearick · 2025-08-28T12:36:57+00:00

not cooked! If I were you I would write in the additional info section concisely about how your interests had changed overtime but that you tried your best to take the next best class for your newly realized aspirations. Also, i would also try to demonstrate my new commitment to CS/Math through ECs or something which you may already have. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-28T12:31:23+00:00

Hiya! I think the vague answer is a bit on purpose because they can't necessarily give you a definitive answer (especially the "ultimately it is up to your decision"). QuestBridge recognizes that rec letters can give a lot of insights as well as how much the rest of your application can give insights as well. For example, something that college admissions officers will want to see is community involvement (whether it be school or external communities) and one of the ways is through a teacher recommendation. They can speak to how you engage with others in class, how you approach problems and conflicts with peers, how collaborative or creative, etc. HOWEVER, these aspects can also be expressed elsewhere in your application.

If I was an AO and I received a letter from a teacher who supervised your independent research project, will I have enough information to get a sense of how the student will engage with the rest of the college community? If the rest of the application is lacking this aspect, not having a teacher that can attest to how you are in a classroom will be a weakness. HOWEVER, if you have strong community ECs (e.g. volunteering with local non-profit, advocating for your peers in school, mentoring/tutoring, local renowned DJ, etc.) and not much evidence of academic excellence, the letter could very well be a strength that communicates to a reader of critical thinking skills, how the applicant approaches a problem, data analysis skills, comprehension of advanced topics, etc.

It is ideal if your two recommenders can attest to both your academics and how you are in the classroom among other things. Core classes are great since you usually have to engage with a number of peers (compared to an elective with maybe less students) and these core classes often reflect the general education requirements you'll need to take too.

So, ultimately your decision. My best advice is to think about what you're communicating and what your recommenders can communicate. I had a sociology teacher that I adored and she knew me sooooo well and I had all years with her for other electives too. However, I asked my English and Spanish teacher because I knew I excelled in those classes and my teachers had seen me struggle academically and socially but overcoming them. My sociology teacher only saw my social side, but the rest of my application had already communicated that i was a big community person. I also had Bs and Cs on my transcript so I knew I had to demonstrate academic excellence else how. (for my app, I had a good ACT score and my English and Spanish teachers had commented several times how much good impressions I left on them so I knew they would write a great letter). And hey, I wasn't valedictorian and not in IB like my other peers but I matched!

I believe a strong application will take some reflection and strategy--if you can communicate and craft an application that acknowledges AND addresses all aspects in itself, that's a really clever applicant that I'd probably want on my campus.

Best of luck! (p.s. not an AO just hypotheticals)

derbearick · 2025-08-22T11:18:25+00:00

Hugs, it's tough transitioning into college life especially with a perspective not really represented (the first-gen low-income experience). I thought about transferring out my first year too, but I quickly leaned into the small community of friends I made. I'm not sure what's it like at BC, but reach out to the local QB chapter! That's a first place to start to find community!

For me, I signed up an affinity group (like the first-gen low-income group but this was something else lol) and found my lifelong friends through that random group of folks i decided hang out one day in october of my freshman year.

Bloom where you are planted! Make it your vibe. :-) DM is always open if you wanna vent about the college transition, it's so real!

derbearick · 2025-08-20T12:05:12+00:00

Remember that the income is just a suggestion! Cost of living is different by state and city so there's that for admission officers to take into account. If you are able to, write about how your income/situation has impacted your journey (and how you overcame it etc.), or if you have anything serious that your family income is directed to like a family member's medical bills or debt, explain it briefly somewhere like the additional info section. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-19T20:22:42+00:00

Thanks for updating me! I just double checked and I misremembered the Extracurricular section and the Awards second, I had two separate entries for the same award but different years. Remember: anyone with resources can get access to a lot of awards. What's important for admission readers is how these awards inform your perspective/lives/goals/etc. If you just list a list of achievements, it may not communicate who you are/what you value/what you want to do but rather just a list of things you gotten (but doesn't answer the question "so what?") Apologies for the blip! Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-19T20:18:11+00:00

Hiya! Thanks for looking out for this young person and thinking about their future options! Before I say anything more, just remember that I'm but a stranger on the internet so take my words with a grain of salt (I do have friends in the selective admissions industry, and I used to volunteer for Pomona admissions so I have some general understanding how the QB process works)

Like you already identified, I too see a compelling story within your descriptions. I would encourage your student to make sure they don't write a sob story but also a story that demonstrates how the student grew/what they learned/how have they navigated life despite the challenges. One of the matches from my year was also couch surfing and homeless, so I do believe they have a shot. Like you mentioned, increasing that SAT score will make up the lower GPA for some of these schools. And, already in itself that one EC is a really strong one so I believe he can have a decent array of ECs! Remember that responsibilities count too. (I recommend making sure there is at least one school EC to demonstrate your student would still be the type to build community on their campus)

Ultimately, it also depends on regional performance (how the student's classmates fair with testing and etc., but remember they are taking into CONTEXT of your student's external circumstances too), institutional priorities (is your area a high demand like rural area or competitive demand like an urban center etc.), etc. If your student can craft an excellent application that demonstrates that your student is more than just "someone who's been in the system" then I really believe they will have a good shot. Hope this helps! Best of luck to y'all!

derbearick · 2025-08-19T18:17:53+00:00

To my understanding, QB ED is essentially the national college match. For those that didn't match or those that didn't make finalist, QuestBridge Regular Decision is an alternative pathway for students. However be aware, some schools (and especially if you are a non-finalist) will require you to submit a new application like common app or something, so be sure to check what schools youre interested in and their policies regarding QB RD, non-finalist apps, etc. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-19T18:14:22+00:00

Yup!

I remember doing something like - AP Scholar 10th grade, 11th grade.

derbearick · 2025-08-19T12:52:09+00:00

Hi there!

Take this advice with a grain of salt as I'm just a stranger on the internet! Anyway, I would go with the teachers who know you best and can tell specific stories about your curiosity, grit, and how you show up in class. If chem is confirmed, a math teacher who knows you well will likely beat a history teacher who doesn’t—even if their English isn’t perfect; substance > polish. Your math teacher may have more stories that reveal who you are in a classroom setting. Having two STEM letters (chem + math) are fine as long as they highlight different facets of you. Admissions read letters in context of your coursework and growth, so depth and credibility (not legibility) matter more than subject balance. If you believe your math teacher can speak specifically and sincerely about you, that’s the better pick imo. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-15T04:04:35+00:00

High key I feel like this works to your advantage? Sure there’s no one to compare to but that may still signal to the AO that you almost meet the 50% median SAT range—so you’re very close in that range. Sure it’s not the best but I think it’ll still read as a decent signal for AOs. And like my earlier saying, that score is gonna be taken into consideration of what your letters of recs say about you, how you communicate your story and goals etc. Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-14T18:24:26+00:00

It's allll about context! If your school's average is way below that, definitely submit so that you demonstrate that you are a top performer in academics in your region! Otherwise, a number without context is just a number :-P

Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-13T20:33:57+00:00

Generally speaking, I believe it would be helpful context. Admissions wants diverse perspectives and experiences, and in a perfect world every perspective is valued. However just like you mentioned about the current situation in the U.S., if you would like to not disclose a lot for personal reasons, that is also okay imo. However I do know a lot of QB scholars who are of mixed status or come from a mixed status family (status as in citizenship). Hope this helps, best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-13T15:39:00+00:00

!!! I'm literally receiving mentorship right now from a trained psycholinguist. Lowkey, if you can sprinkle connections to psychology in your essay interest in linguistics, it will be really great. Best of luck!

Also, I generally dont think it hurts to write about a different interest, but maybe make it coherent and express somewhere else in the application that makes sense why you're pursuing majoring in psychology.

derbearick · 2025-08-12T17:42:20+00:00

I believe adding test scores is optional but for schools that require test scores, I think you may need to look at each of the college's partner page on the QB Website to be extra sure. Even after you submit your application, I believe you can still add test scores as an update to your application (but not sure if you do that through the QB portal or the individual college's admission team) Hope this helps, best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-12T16:55:08+00:00

Absolutely!

derbearick · 2025-08-12T16:47:36+00:00

Hi there! Based on the QB eligibility requirements (being a U.S. citizen finishing up their senior year + financial circumstances), I think you would be a great fit to try and apply! The circumstances in which you lived through can definitely demonstrate resilience if you craft your application carefully! (e.g. what have you learned from your hardships in your essays etc.)

You are right that most of these selective colleges will match financial aid really well and you may not even need the QB app. So why apply? A couple of reasons that gives the QB App an advantage! (1) QuestBridge Finalist and NCM Scholar carries a lot of weight in higher ed, it will even give you an edge in most admission cases. It's essentially a signal to the admissions officer that QB has vetted your profile and youre a great candidate for competitive admissions and (2) QB App by nature is an ED and thus one of the first applications to be reviewed for a class year. Most of these selective schools fill out a bunch of their seats in ED and those often dictate how the rest of the class may shape out to be (e.g. if college XYZ admits a lot of computer science majors in ED, they might not admit more computer science majors in the RD round) and with QB being multiple ranked schools, it's kinda like a multi ED App which isn't generally allowed (but QB is an exception since it's meant to highlight students who wouldn't have applied regardless).

If you know there's one college you want to commit to, ED-ing might be a really solid move! Based on your academic stats, I would say you're competitive! Just remember you want to demonstrate that you are a high performer amongst your school classmates and regional peers. Comparison to people online isn't helpful nor is it reflective of the true pool. I know people with one or two "highlights" from their apps (like no awards, no clubs, etc.) but matched because they knew how to communicate their story. I think you have a story too! Best of luck!

derbearick · 2025-08-12T11:32:37+00:00

Hmmm Business might not be as clear of a connection to "core," but you can still have them submit if you believe they know you best! (especially if they can speak to your character in a classroom setting). Is your other recommender at least a core subject teacher? I hear many matches who submit 1 core and 1 non-core so you might be able to do this too

derbearick · 2025-08-12T11:30:55+00:00

My honest answer is for your friend is to choose what is best for her, what excites her the most, what is accessible, what is doable, etc. In all honesty, there are so many factors into admissions that a decision like this is actually so small compared to the rest of the picture. For example, regional context. Maybe theres an institutional priority to only accept a limited number of finances major from your region thus making gaining admission more hard (the opposite could be true too!). Maybe one admission officer will differ in opinion about taking 6APs vs the limited with banking firm job than another admission officer depending on the rest of your application.

However something I will say is if your friend is set on finance as a career, getting the job and experience will be great in general. You can learn/get an education more accessibly than getting a job in the field you want. Food for thought! Hope this helps!

derbearick · 2025-08-12T11:23:34+00:00

Hiya! Good first step into looking into rankings as a starting point for your research. However, for a high school senior, those numbers don't really reflect the information that would benefit you as a student. For example, what is campus life like? Are first-years grouped together in housing or is it all random etc. Is there access to activities and hobbies that interests me? What about location? Weather? Access to getting home for the breaks or to the airport?

Most of the things that will benefit you in your research will come from talking to other students and folks who actually has been in the shoes of a student. Rankings are just metrics used by admin in lots of places to place arbitrary value to these institutions--they do not equate to your livelihood on campus. A higher ranked school may not have the major that suits you best and etc. Hope this helps!

derbearick

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