National College Match

College Prep Scholarship

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Selection Criteria

The information on this page concerns the fall 2007 College Match application cycle. Information for the 2008 College Match will be posted in August. In the interim, please feel free to review this page for general background, as the outlines of the program will remain broadly consistent.

The QuestBridge National College Match is designed for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite facing economic challenges. QuestBridge does not have fixed criteria for GPA, standardized test scores, or income. When selecting finalists, we try to answer the following questions:

  • "Does this student have the motivation and ability to thrive at one of our partner colleges?"

  • "What obstacles has this student overcome, socioeconomic and otherwise?"

QuestBridge selects finalists for our partner colleges to review but does not make the ultimate selection of College Match scholarship recipients. Rather, partner colleges choose scholarship recipients from among the finalists.

All of the following are taken into account when considering an application:

For previous award recipients' statistics, please view the information on the Awardee Overview page.



Academic Criteria


QuestBridge seeks students who have demonstrated a level of academic achievement that meets or exceeds the admissions standards of our partner colleges.

Some of the factors we use to assess academic ability include:

  • Grade Point Average (GPA): Both un-weighted and weighted GPAs are considered.

  • Class rank: The majority of finalists are in the top 5% of their class.

  • Rigor of high school curriculum: Finalists typically take the most challenging courses available at their high school.

  • Standardized test scores: SAT and ACT scores, as well as SAT Subject Test and AP results.

  • Essays: Most finalists' essays show evidence of intellectual spark, determination, and altruism.

  • Recommendations: The Teacher Recommendations and Secondary School Report tell us how students interact in the classroom and compare to other students in their school.

For previous award recipients' statistics, please view the information on the Awardee Overview page.



Financial Criteria


If you are interested in the National College Match, it is important to note that our partner colleges are seeking to provide scholarships to students who come from families experiencing financial hardship.

Some of the factors we use to assess financial need include:

  • Annual household income: Last year's National College Match scholarship recipients come from households earning from $0 to $62,000 annually. If you come from a household earning more than this amount but still feel that you have faced economic hardship, there is room on the application to explain your situation.

  • Additional information about your household circumstances such as:

    • Number of people in the household.

    • The cost of living in your area.

    • Other financial commitments, such as medical bills or support payments to family members outside the United States.


For previous award recipients' statistics, please view the information on the Awardee Overview page.



Other Criteria


  • Your parents' level of education: Many award recipients are among the first generation in their family to attend a four-year college.

  • Extenuating circumstances: For example, working to help parents pay the bills, time spent caring for siblings in absence of working parents, or difficult living conditions.

  • Other achievements: Accomplishments and leadership positions in extracurricular and community activities.

For previous award recipients' statistics, please view the information on the Awardee Overview page.



Eligibility Requirements


  • You must take the required standardized tests (on or before October 6 for SAT I or II, September 15 for ACT) and send your scores to QuestBridge as well as the colleges you are interested in to qualify for the National College Match process. Any testing done after the October test date will only be considered in the Regular Admissions process.

  • You must be a high school graduate during or before the spring/summer of 2008 and be planning to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall of 2008.

  • Only US Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible to apply for National College Match Scholarship for all colleges except Princeton and Yale. Students who are not US Citizens or Permanent Residents can still use the QuestBridge application, be chosen as a QuestBridge Finalist, and participate in the Regular Admissions Process.