Ana Rowena Mallari and Dr. Michael McCullough co-founded QuestBridge in 1994 while they attended Stanford University. It began as a five-week residential summer program for high-achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds. The program immersed the students in college life at top colleges around the nation and they were thoroughly encouraged to think critically, and address complex real-world issues. There was a crucial focus on internal growth—rather than solely academic success—and there were self-reflections implemented into each day’s activity. The students were constantly engaged and at the end of the five weeks, they were prepared for the college application process with their newfound knowledge for what a top college has to offer. In 2004, the program gathered Amherst College, Grinnell College, and Rice University as its first college partners and admitted students with full scholarships through the National College Match. The QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship is now a program funded through QuestBridge partners and government aid to cover the full cost of attendance for the students.
This year we at the Law Magnet had 3 QuestBridge matches: Chloe Hawkins and Amaad Garrett matching with Northwestern University, and Alexandra Garcia matching with Wellesley College.
Chloe Hawkins
- How did you decide which schools to rank?
“I decided to rank my schools based on several key factors that were very important to me. Obviously, there’s the basic ones, such as location—I really wanted to leave Texas—or academics—how the courses they offer speak to me—but one factor I considered A LOT was the school’s black student community. Most of the schools that are offered through QuestBridge are PWIs (Primarily White Institutions) and I wanted to make sure that I’d be able to interact, work, and connect with students who look like me on a deep level at the schools that I ranked.”
- How are you preparing for the transition to college life?
“I am an overthinker and I like to be prepared for anything and everything. I have already created a registry of things I’ll need for college for my family members to buy and I’ve been encouraging people to buy me things off of this list for Christmas. I’ve also begun researching things to do on/off campus to create a bucket list that will encourage me to explore everything Northwestern/Evanston has to offer.”
- What do you think made your application successful; what do you think helped you the most?
“I think my writing and extracurriculars (ECs) made me the most successful. My friend, Sukhmani Nijjar, helped a lot with making sure that my narrative was represented in a way that allowed people to understand the story I had to tell. I want to thank her for that. In addition, all of the ECs I was in built me up to be a leader and I feel like that showed in my ECs.”
Amaad Garrett
- What motivated you to apply to QuestBridge?
“Well, my parents were my key motivators for applying. They discovered the Questbridge College Prep Scholars program in the spring and encouraged me to apply, however, I missed the deadline. Towards the end of the summer, my parents informed me of the National College Match program and had me apply because of its financial benefits.”
- What programs or activities at your college are you interested in joining?
“The primary activity I will be pursuing at Northwestern will be baseball. Additionally, I intend to write for Northwestern’s “Blackboard Magazine,” the school’s historically black student publication, and participate in community activism with Northwestern’s Student Action organization.”
- Is there anything you wish you knew before starting the application process?
“Include your parents in every part of the process to avoid mistakes and conflicts.”
Alexandra Garcia
- What was the most challenging part of the QuestBridge application?
“The application consisted of three essays and multiple short-answer responses. Since I was a College Prep Scholar last year, the essays I wrote transferred to this year’s application. However, I concluded that what I’d previously written didn’t successfully tell my story at all, so I decided to scratch ALL of it and start from zero. Trying to find a way to be unique, creative, and tell my story all in only three essays was hands down the most challenging part of the application. It was really stressful, and sometimes I just couldn’t write another word.”
- What are you most excited about at your matched college?
“Literally everything! The campus is so beautiful, and Massachusetts looks straight out of a fairytale book. I’m so excited about the opportunities I will be able to take advantage of, and all the great connections I’ll be able to make.”
- Were there moments when you doubted yourself, and how did you stay motivated?
“My whole application process consisted of me doubting myself. There were a lot of people who made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to match or to even become a finalist. All of those negative comments made me feel defeated, but I decided to give it my all and prove them wrong! I wouldn’t have become a Wellesley student without the support of my family, boyfriend, and friends.”
