Press Release: December 1, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
press@questbridge.org
Over 1,650 Applicants Admitted to Top Colleges with Full Scholarships through QuestBridge
Palo Alto, California (December 1, 2021) – QuestBridge is pleased to announce the results of the 2021 QuestBridge National College Match, a national program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to top colleges. Out of over 16,500 applicants, QuestBridge selected 6,312 Finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship (Match Scholarship). This year, QuestBridge’s 45 college partners matched with 1,674 Finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge.
“The achievements of our Match Scholarship Recipients are a culmination of their hard work and perseverance,” said Ana McCullough, Co-Founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “Thanks to the commitment of our college partners, these deserving students can tap into their full potential without worrying about the cost of a great education.”
Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships that are provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college can be affordable. QuestBridge’s 45 college partners include top liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Pomona, and Williams and exceptional research universities such as Duke, Princeton, Stanford, UChicago, and Yale. The Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and travel expenses.
This year’s Match Scholarship Recipients come from 49 states, as well as the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.
These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.93, and 92% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Financially, 95% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 87% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of these new QuestBridge Scholars — 81% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.
Since 2003, the QuestBridge National College Match has successfully connected over 10,500 students with full scholarships at college partners. These 2021 Match Scholarship Recipients become the first QuestBridge Scholars for the Class of 2026. Based on previous years, it is estimated that approximately 2,000 Finalists will be admitted to QuestBridge college partners later in the year through Early and Regular Decision processes.
All Finalists who ultimately matriculate to QuestBridge college partners join the QuestBridge Scholars Network, which provides ongoing support and resources through nationwide opportunities and campus communities. The QuestBridge Scholars Network and Alumni Association now include over 20,000 current college students and graduates worldwide.
In addition, QuestBridge is excited to announce the results of the pilot year of the Graduate School Match: MBA, through which QuestBridge Alumni had the opportunity to apply for full-tuition scholarships to MBA programs at Stanford Graduate School of Business, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and Yale School of Management. Out of 43 applicants, 17 QuestBridge Alumni were offered admission and full-tuition scholarships in the inaugural year of the program. More applicants are expected to be admitted through each school’s Round 1 admission process.
“These outstanding results motivate us to grow the program and continue to find meaningful and innovative ways to support our students,” said McCullough. “QuestBridge Alumni are uniquely positioned to be thoughtful and broad-minded leaders, and we are honored and excited to help them pursue their dreams after college graduation.”
About QuestBridge:
QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects the nation’s most exceptional, low-income youth with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities. By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students — beginning in high school through college to their early career — QuestBridge aims to help talented, low-income students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.