Hi everyone! I'm Oscar, a '28 from Flushing, NYC. My academic interests are a mix of the arts (studio art, graphic design), the sciences (psychology, biology, sustainability), and maybe even anthropology? All of which I'm thinking of merging with a major in Cognitive Science with a focus area on Design. Outside the classroom, I'm passionate about giving back to my community, fiber arts, and em dashes. Welcome to my blog—I'm excited to explore Dartmouth together!
It was December 1st. I was checking my phone every other minute, eagerly awaiting an email for my Questbridge National College Match decision. It seemed like everything was weighing on this decision—especially whether I'd be able to afford college.
The clock struck 6. The decision notification email dropped into my inbox, cryptically instructing me to view my decision on the Questbridge Application Portal. Holding my breath, I opened my decision—expecting confetti and the end of my college application process.
You can probably tell from the title, I was not selected as a match recipient. But I was still able to take advantage of Questbridge's resources, leading to my admission to Dartmouth!
Questbridge (QB), is a non-profit organization which provides an alternative college application to Questbridge's 50+ partner schools, specifically designed for low-income students to best tell their stories. The main difference between the QB application and the Common Application Is the National College Match (NCM). The Questbridge National College Match is an opportunity for applicants to receive the "match scholarship" from a partner institution. Students "rank" multiple colleges, essentially providing the opportunity to apply Early Decision (ED) to multiple colleges, with the guarantee for a full scholarship if accepted.
Receiving the match scholarship can be life-changing, but most applicants do not end up matching—in the 2023 application cycle, only one-third of finalists were selected for the match scholarship. For those who did not match, you're not alone! This is also not the end of your college process. It feels like a big rejection, but this is just a minor redirection in the larger process. From someone who didn't match, here's a few pieces of advice following match day.
Take a moment to relax! The NCM isn't the end of your application process!
1. Breathe
You probably have a mixture of emotions following the match. Those feelings are valid—give yourself space to process the decision. But also remember that you've worked really hard to get to this point! The QB application process is rigorous and extensive—submitting an application is already an achievement. But because so much hard work is put into your application, it can be really hard to accept not matching. Allow yourself to feel whichever combination of emotions you have after the match, but also take the time to honor your hard work.
2. Figure Out Your Next Steps
The NCM is only the beginning of the college process. Applying through Questbridge affords you multiple admissions rounds: QB ED, ED 2 at participating institutions, and regular decision. If you have a top choice within your match rankings, I would recommend considering rolling your application to their Early Decision pool. This is just another opportunity for you to receive an admissions letter. Only select partner institutions allow this option (Dartmouth is one of them!), you can check if a college you ranked offers this under the "Options Following the Match" sections of individual partner school pages.
Remember, not matching with a school is not necessarily a rejected application, only that the school can not offer you the match scholarship. So you may still have a chance to be accepted ED to one of your top schools. Despite not matching with Dartmouth in the NCM, I decided to push my application to Dartmouth's ED pool and was admitted in the ED round.
Through rolling your application to ED—you are not guaranteed a full scholarship, so I would recommend researching the financial aid policies for your options. As a Questbridge finalist, QB has already identified you as someone who may receive generous financial aid from a partner institution, but that can look different between institutions. When weighing financial options, I found the CollegeBoard's Net Price Calculators very helpful. These calculators can provide an estimate of what a potential financial aid award could be. From there, weigh your options and decide if ED is right for you. If not, don't worry—you still have regular decision.
By the time match results come out, you should have about a month until the earliest regular decision deadlines. Take the time to reevaluate your college list, work on supplements, and further refine your application essays. Prior to receiving my ED decision, I had begun to work on my regular decision applications and felt a bit confused on the difference between applying RD through QB or CommonApp.
Through QB RD, you may only apply to QB partner schools, but you are allowed more essays and additional information sections to further tell your story. However, you are unable to edit the core portion of your QB application—the part submitted for Finalist decisions. With CommonApp, you are able to apply to non-partner institutions and are still able to edit your personal statement, but you only get one essay. I felt more confident in my Questbridge essay, so I decided to apply to the partner schools I was interested in through QB, and only use my CommonApp application for non-partner schools. Because I received my ED decision a few weeks later, I never ended up writing my CommonApp. But I would encourage thinking ahead and starting early—those RD deadlines can sneak up on you!
A cupcake my college counselor gave me after my ED acceptance.
3. Trust the Process
Regardless of whichever post-match application round you choose, there is another tense waiting period for the next decision. I try not to stress about application decisions, because after submitting an application, there isn't much to do besides wait. You just have to trust the process. Focus on your senior year classes, finish up RD applications, and enjoy your senior year! At the end of the application cycle, you'll end up where you need to be.
Walking through Dartmouth's vibrant fall foliage and reflecting on my Sophomore Fall experiences underscored the importance of community and embracing opportunities.
On busy autumn weekdays, when mornings are filled with classes and half-finished coffee cups, my friend's car and some empty stomachs lead us to quick off-campus brunch trips to The Skinny Pancake in Quechee, Vermont!
Are you artistically inclined? Are you not artistically inclined but still love making art? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the Dartmouth Donald Claflin Jewelry Studio is for you!
