The National College Match program offers a unique opportunity to gain early admission and a full four-year scholarship to some of the nation’s best colleges through QuestBridge. A crucial aspect of this program is ranking Questbridge Partners. By strategically ranking these institutions, you significantly increase your chances of being “matched” – a process that can transform your higher education dreams into reality.
QuestBridge partners are a select group of colleges committed to providing exceptional educational opportunities to high-achieving, low-income students. These partnerships are the cornerstone of the National College Match. When you rank QuestBridge partners, you’re expressing your preference for these institutions, signaling to them your strong interest. It’s important to understand that you can rank up to 15 partners in order of your true preference, giving you multiple avenues to a successful match. While ranking more colleges can statistically improve your chances, ensure you are genuinely enthusiastic about attending every college on your list, as a match is a binding commitment.*
Key things to remember about ranking QuestBridge partners:
- You will only be matched with one institution, your highest-ranked partner college that also chooses to match with you.
- Colleges remain unaware of your ranking order, ensuring a fair and unbiased process.
- A match is binding, meaning you commit to attending your matched school in the fall and benefit from a full four-year scholarship, covering tuition, room and board, and other expenses, without loans or parental contribution.
- For students who choose not to rank, or who are not matched, QuestBridge Regular Decision provides another pathway to admission at partner colleges.
Last year’s statistics highlight the effectiveness of strategic ranking: a significant majority of matched Finalists were admitted to one of their top five ranked QuestBridge partners, and most successful applicants ranked seven or more partners, demonstrating that a considered and broad ranking strategy can greatly enhance your prospects in the National College Match.
