QuestBridge

QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation's best universities and rising into the ranks of national leadership.

We invest in the lives of motivated youth who have achieved academic and personal excellence in the face of significant financial and other challenges. We do this through our core student services: the College Prep Scholars Program, National College Match, Quest for Excellence, and QuestBridge Scholars Network. These programs follow the trajectory of low-income students from high school through college and into their early career, thus providing a platform which enables students to achieve their potential.

Students are invited to apply for our College Prep Scholars Program as high school juniors and to our National College Match as seniors. We award students with clear financial need and rigorous academics – demonstrated via their transcripts, standardized tests, parental income and assets, and other information. Awards for College Prep Scholars are designed to prepare them for college admissions. Low-income students are often unaware of the proper format for a college admissions essay, so we provide free coaching. Many are also unfamiliar with forms like the FAFSA or what the various admissions deadlines are, so we invite them to attend our regional College Admissions Conferences featuring admissions officers. Once students are ready to apply for college, we connect them to our free online application. The National College Match application includes short answers and prompts that highlight low-income students' unique attributes, is accepted for admissions consideration by 39 college partners, and is tied to opportunities for substantial scholarships. Our QuestBridge Scholars Network provides continued academic, emotional, and professional support to QuestBridge Scholars in college - helping them to realize long-term success.

QuestBridge has over 20 years of organizational experience helping high-achieving low-income youth unlock their potential. During that time, we have grown from a residential summer program held at Stanford University, serving approximately 40 students per year, to a national organization serving thousands of students each year.

QuestBridge has achieved tremendous growth in the number of QuestBridge Scholars admitted each year by our 39 college partners. QuestBridge Scholars receive full or nearly-full scholarships, thanks to our college partners, that put a life-changing degree within reach. Over 90% of QuestBridge Scholars graduate within six years, going on to realize continued success in their chosen career paths.

Our impact on the issue of college access means that our QuestBridge Scholars Network includes over 7,000 QuestBridge Scholar undergraduates and over 2,500 recent alumni. Remarkable expansion in the number of QuestBridge Scholars participating in the network has challenged us to increase the academic, career, and emotional support services we provide to our students through college and into their early career. We are currently developing a suite of new professional development tools and opportunities for QuestBridge Scholars.