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"The moment you are identified as a QuestBridge applicant, you are prioritized in a way that very few applicants are. When you're a QuestBridge student, you're in a priority bin. They've got a leg up in a way that perhaps an athlete or legacy would have a way up."

Tom Parker
Dean of Admission
& Financial Aid
Amherst College

National College Match Program

The QuestBridge National College Match helps high-achieving low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to some of the nation's most selective colleges.
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 National College Match Program is distinct from other admissions processes in the following ways:

  1. Full scholarships: The National College Match offers full four-year scholarships covering tuition, room and board for low income students. 103 applicants received admission and full four-year scholarships last year. More than 500 additional applicants received admission and financial aid packages worth over $40 million.

  2. Leading colleges: Our partner colleges are among the most selective in the country. They offer a wide range of campus environments and academic opportunities.

  3. Designed for high-achieving low-income students: The National College Match has been created to maximize the admissions outcomes of outstanding low-income students who have achieved academic excellence in the face of economic obstacles. QuestBridge's unique, detailed application is specifically designed to showcase the talents and determination of these students. See our selection criteria and an overview of past winners.

  4. Unique early admission process: The process starts early - students complete one application and use it to apply to up to 8 of QuestBridge's 20 partner colleges by September 30, ranking the schools in order of preference. The application is also binding -- students must attend the school highest on their ranking list that also admits them.

  5. No fee: The National College Match is a program run by QuestBridge, a nationally focused non-profit organization, and charges no fee for its application.


The National College Match program also offers students the option to request that their QuestBridge applications be forwarded to our partner colleges for consideration in the regular decision process.