The short version: QuestBridge is awesome. As in the real sense of the word—awe-inspiring.
The slightly longer version:
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that works to connect high-achieving students from lower-income families with some of the top colleges and universities in the country.
They do so in part because, while somewhere around 30,000 such students each year could apply to the best institutions in the United States (as in, they are just as academically qualified as other applicants), most don’t apply to a single selective school. QuestBridge has worked to change that, by helping thousands of students be admitted to and offered financial aid by their partner schools. You can read more about QuestBridge’s mission and vision in their own words.
In this post, we’ll explore how to write the QuestBridge essays, and analyze some QuestBridge essay examples. But first ...
What is the QuestBridge Scholarship?
If you’re reading this post, you probably already know this, but just in case: The QuestBridge College Match Scholarship offers a full-ride, four-year scholarship worth over $200,000 to 50 of the top schools in the United States. It can cover basically everything, from tuition and fees to room and board to travel expenses to books and other supplies.
Like we said, awesome.
As an important side note, in addition to the hundreds of students who received the College Match Scholarship last year, thousands of students were accepted to and offered financial aid from partner schools.
To check out a list of current QuestBridge partners, check out this link. They’ve added two new schools this year: Smith College and Johns Hopkins University! It’s important to note that (with the exception of MIT), all of the schools have a binding policy if you’re ultimately matched. So what does that mean? You want to carefully research these schools to ensure you find the ones that are a great match for you.
Before we talk through the prompts and some sample essays, it’s important to note that the QuestBridge National College Match application is due September 26.
QuestBridge has a bunch of subsequent deadlines for submitting things like your Match Rankings Form. This flowchart offers a helpful visual of the process.
Who’s Eligible for the Questbridge Scholarship?
The National College Match is open to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents and students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States. If you identify as undocumented, you are eligible to apply, but you should review the Additional Citizenship Requirements to see which college partners will consider you for the Match Scholarship.
Unfortunately, international students living outside the United States are not eligible.
If you’re curious, you can check out the profile of College Match Finalists.
QuestBridge Essay Prompts
The College Match application requires the following (and here’s a handy Quick Start Guide):
The actual online application
Two essays
Short answer questions
Two letters of recommendation (preferably from 11th grade teachers):
One from a recent core-subject teacher
One from another teacher or someone who knows you well (just don’t ask anyone in your household or immediate family)
A School Report from your high school counselor
An optional but recommended School Profile
Your high school transcript
Not required to apply: Any standardized test scores (50% of applicants submitted test scores last year)
Note: MIT does require either the SAT or ACT if you select them as a match school
Another note: unofficial transcripts and test score reports are accepted
Here are the essay prompts for 2023:
Essay 1: Biographical Essay (800-word limit)
We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe how the most influential factors and challenges in your life have shaped you into the person you are today.
Essay 2: Topical Essay (500-word limit) Please write on ONE of the following topics:
Option 1: Tell us about a concept, theory, or topic you have explored simply because it sparked your intellectual curiosity. Why do you find it intriguing? How do you want to further explore it?
Option 2: Describe an experience that caused you to change your perspective and/or opinion.
Option 3: What aspect of your current community do you admire and wish to bring to your future college community
Option 4: Inclusivity involves embracing diversity and working to include people with backgrounds and experiences different from your own. Describe an experience where you have played a role in fostering inclusivity.
And here are the short answer questions:
Part I
Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you. (max 200 words)
If you could meet a character from a book or historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them? (max 200 words)
Part II: Answer the following questions in no more than 35 words, or about 3 sentences. You may use comma-separated lists instead of sentences when appropriate.
What is your favorite subject to study, and why?
What are your favorite books and/or movies?
What is your favorite source of inspiration?
How do you spend a typical weekend?
What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you?
After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate?
What would you contribute to your future college campus community?
How to Write the QuestBridge Essays + Examples
QuestBridge really wants to understand the context of your life—moments and experiences that have shaped you, challenges that you’ve worked through—through the longer essays and short answers.
You may be thinking, ugh, that’s a lot of writing. And you’d be right. But this is a no-joke opportunity, so look at all those essays as individual chances to shine. Take advantage of the fact that QuestBridge is probing for a range of insights into who you are, what you value, and what you feel driven to do. As you’ll see in the examples below, each prompt offers you the chance to illustrate a different facet of your story, adding up to an interesting, complex whole. A few notes on Essays 1 and 2:
Essay 1:
“Biographical Essay” is another way of saying “Personal Statement.” Only here, the typical 650-word limit is expanded to 800. While 800 words is a limit, not a requirement, think of those extra 150 words as more real estate to tell your story, share your values, and wow your readers with unique insights.
Narrative Structure can be a great option for any kind of personal statement (not just for QuestBridge) that focuses on a significant challenge you’ve faced and how it’s shaped you. That structure can fit this prompt particularly well. For a more detailed guide on how to brainstorm the content for and write a Narrative Structure essay, check out this expansive guide. QuestBridge also has its own handy brainstorming worksheet with a flowchart and advice you may find useful.
Don’t have a challenge you feel is worth writing about, or you do, but don’t want it to be the central focus of your essay or to define you in a significant way? That’s okay because you have another great option: Montage Structure, a dynamic approach that allows you to explore multiple sides of yourself.
We liken montage to a beaded bracelet, with the beads representing key aspects of your personality/experiences/values/talents + a thematic thread that ties it all together. For an in-depth discussion of Montage Structure, head here. (Note: A hybrid of both is also possible—check out the “Much Ado About Nothing” essay at the end of this post for an example that starts with a challenge—in its case a low-stakes one—but then shifts into a montage of moments, experiences, and reflections.)
One important note: Make sure to brainstorm at least two great personal statement ideas. Why? Because if you aren’t chosen for the QuestBridge scholarship, you’d have to apply through the Common App, most likely to the schools that will have already seen this essay. So be sure to keep another well-developed idea in your back pocket.
Essay 2:
How to decide between these three topics? The good news is, there’s no wrong answer. Each offers a great opportunity to show important facets of who you are. However, you might consider a strategic approach. Look at the supplemental essay requirements for other schools on your list that are not QuestBridge partners. Do you see any topic overlap? If so, consider choosing a prompt you can easily recycle, ala the “super essay.”
Here are some resources to help you get started.
Option 1: Intellectual Curiosity
You’ll find variations of this prompt in the crash courses for Stanford (Prompt #6), the UC’s (PIQ 6), and Wash U St. Louis (Prompt #1).
Option 2: Challenged Perspective
You’ll find variations of this prompt in the crash courses for Princeton (Prompt #2), USC (Prompt #1a), and Emory (Prompt #1a).
Option 3: This is a version of a very common college essay prompt we call the Community Essay, with an emphasis on what you’d like to improve a community that’s meaningful to you. Get an extensive guide to the Community Essay, including exercises to brainstorm the various communities you belong to, at this link.
Note that the text boxes will not accept any formatting such as bold, italics, or underlining. Also, because indents may not show up for paragraphs, you may want to add blank lines between paragraphs.
Student Application Example #1
QuestBridge Essay 1: Biographical Essay
We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors helped you to grow? (797/800-word limit)
“Mama, ¡por favor! Don’t go!” I cried, gently tugging on her brown leather jacket. Raindrops pummeled my bare face, making me squint to see her silhouette in the darkness of the cold night. One by one, she began reluctantly loading her belongings onto our old grey minivan.
“I’ll see you soon, mijito,” my mother despairingly said as she wiped the tears trickling down her cheeks. She pulled me into her arms, and I tightly held her, knowing this might be the last time I ever could. Seconds later, she got into the driver’s seat, and the engine roared to life. Before I could say goodbye, the old grey minivan began driving out of sight.
My mind raced with questions. Why was my mother leaving? Why couldn’t I go with her? Flashbacks to towers of late rent bills and the rumble of my sisters’ empty stomachs made one thing clear: she had to.
Ever since I was born, LA’s high rent prices pushed our family onto the brink of homelessness. We lived our life on a coin toss—heads or tails deciding whether we’d pay our monthly rent or groceries. This life meant the roof above my head changed faster than the clothes on my body. It meant doing multiplication tables on the cold pavement while waiting for a bed at the shelter. It meant having to watch a childhood slip away as my parents’ struggles slowly materialized into my own. That rainy night, my mother finally reached her limit and moved to Utah in pursuit of a better life.
With my mother gone, my home felt scattered beyond physical confines. However, the emotional sanctuary I yearned for, I discovered in my second home: school. Here, I raced through kinematics problems and sneaked into the computer lab, my hands flying over the keyboards. This home I found in the flickering, fluorescent-lighted hallways and weary, purple-colored walls gave me a sense of belonging. However, the small source of stability I was beginning to gather became intercepted by a looming decision: Do I stay in LA with my father or leave for Utah to be reunited with my mother?
I chose LA.
After months of watery eyes and harrowing headaches produced by images of my sisters’ childhoods without me, LA’s charm finally shone through. The allure was in the spontaneous dance parties sparked by the neighborhood abuelitas’ cumbias—in the rewarding taste of Tommy’s world-famous chili burgers and Ocha’s “seven seas” soup. Aside from the cultural respite I gained in Los Angeles, there was a glaringly obvious gift in my stay: LA welcomed my curiosity with open arms, preserving my interest in political science through an ACLU program, and fostering my passion for CS through LACCD courses.
However, life in LA is not always sweet. While walking home one night, an ominous car crept up beside me. My blood ran cold as I noticed the gun’s glisten. My life flashed before my eyes, and I braced myself until . . . CLICK. The gun jammed. I ran with every jot of energy left in my sore body. I ran for my life. In South L.A, it sometimes feels like I’m always running—unable to escape the candles on every street corner, reminding me of those who weren’t as lucky. Amidst this sea of chaos, I resort to my outlet: computers.
Although my only access to technology is a recreational center 30 minutes away, I do everything in my capacity to explore this new home. Writing simple “Hello World!” programs transformed into graduate-level work developing neural networks and AI algorithms. Yet my CS journey still feels like a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece.
Although thankful for the opportunities, the missing piece is a dream. It’s the dream of blending my past with my future as a computer scientist and engineering a better world. That is why I eagerly await the opportunity to attend a university to finally fulfill this dream. And one day, using all the experiences and wisdom I gained from my college professors and peers, I will return to South Los Angeles not only to inspire future generations to pursue the wonders of CS, but to empower them with the tools needed to break through every socio-economic barrier standing in their way.
As I embark on my college journey, I will always remember the sight of that old grey minivan driving away. However, instead of viewing it and the many hardships I went through as moments of weakness, I see them now as defining moments of strength and inspiration.
The next time my mother sees me, I won’t be on the ground, begging her, “Mama, don’t go!” Instead, I will be walking across the graduation stage, as the first in my family’s history to do so, calmly telling her, “Mama, we did it.”
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Let structure work for you. This essay makes effective use of the Narrative Structure—an essay that focuses on a Challenge + Its Effects on You, What You Did About It, and What You Learned, in roughly equal parts—to directly address the prompt (“the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors helped you to grow?”).
The hook, opening in a moment of high tension that also raises questions about what’s happening and why, pulls us in. The author then pulls back and puts that moment in context, offering the challenge the student and his family faced, and the various effects (brink of homelessness, rent or groceries, school work while waiting for a bed at the shelter, lack of sanctuary, the gun, etc.) that challenge had. But then fairly quickly, the author shifts into what he did about it: kinematics, home in the computer lab, the ACLU program, algorithms, etc.
The author also intersperses details and reflections that show what he learned from these experiences by directly or indirectly linking to and reflecting on his values (like family, curiosity, culture, and many more). The ending does a nice job of bookending (calling back to the start of the essay), but reframing it to show how he’s grown, and what the experience means to him in the greater context of his life.
Show and tell (rather than “show, don’t tell.”). It’s important to provide details and examples that illustrate your experiences, offering a way for the reader to connect and identify with you, to feel as though they understand a part of what you’ve experienced. But it’s also important and useful to directly name at least some of what these experiences mean to you, rather than assuming that the reader will think it means the same thing you do. Showing and telling strikes a nice balance between demonstrating your abilities as a writer and helping us connect emotionally, while also helping show you understand the importance of clarity.
Flex your “voice.” “Find your voice” is advice that we’re not sure is all that useful, as what exactly the phrase means is often left unsaid. So here’s a more specific way to think about it, and something this author does well: Revise and rewrite until you’re discussing your experiences and reflections in a way that’s different from how someone with the same or similar experiences would discuss them. Really specific details (like this: “The allure was in the spontaneous dance parties sparked by the neighborhood abuelitas’ cumbias—in the rewarding taste of Tommy’s world-famous chili burgers and Ocha’s “seven seas” soup.”) take things that many students reading this post may have experienced, but that still make them feel specific to this author in a way that helps us see who he is and what he values, and what he brings to a college community.
QuestBridge Essay 2 Example: Topical Essay
Option 1: Tell us about a concept, theory, or topic you have explored simply because it sparked your intellectual curiosity. Why do you find it intriguing? How do you want to explore it further? (492/500-word limit)
The seed began growing sophomore year when I pushed open the red oak doors of WLAC’s Intro to CS and strode to an empty seat at the front of the room. Excitement raced through my body. I had anticipated this moment ever since I first glanced at a computer. Although that computer was the beat-up Blackberry my father accidentally found on his way from work, its call and text features kindled countless questions about the power of technology. Alongside my excitement for unlocking the secrets behind my burning questions, however, came bundles of nervousness. I had no idea what computer science was or how programmers went from lines of code to full mobile apps. But as I sat there staring at the Python IDE, I decided to leap into the unknown--a leap that planted my CS seed.
Intro to CS loaded me with head-scratching moments as I tried to understand lessons on everything from conditionals to functions. During a particular lecture on CS and society, however, I finally discovered CS’s multifaceted appeal. Though coding was fun, my interest lay in the empowering nature of CS. It can fuel space exploration, predict natural disasters, and connect distant parts of the world. After the course, I not only knew how to program but knew this was how I would leave my impact on society. This thought grew the seed into a small sapling.
Because of the lack of CS opportunities at my school, I enrolled in every CS course and community program available in LA. From studying object-oriented design to developing social-impact games, a new leaf would emerge from the sapling with every touch on the keyboard.
Then, I discovered USC’s SHINE program and its mission to allow passionate high school students to conduct novel engineering research at USC Viterbi. Naturally, I applied in the blink of an eye, eager to use my CS background to finally make a real-world impact.
In seven weeks, I learned many disciplines. From deep neural network development to reinforcement learning and AI programming, I blended it all to develop a MAPF planner that could optimize MAPF environments faster than other state-of-the-art planners.
Despite my growth in SHINE, my initial eagerness remained unfulfilled. Optimizing MAPF planners wasn’t going to solve issues like homelessness or education inequity. It wasn’t going to make the day-to-day lives of my family or community any easier. My CS background has prompted a new mission: growing my CS sapling into a tree worthy of providing for my community through research. Although my research topics are not on the current covers of AI research or scientific journals, researching them will contribute equally to engineering a better world.
From long months spent combating homelessness by optimizing resource allocation policies to countless hours combating educational inequity through developing more kid-friendly e-learning platforms, I am excited to explore the limitless opportunities provided by a college campus—leaving my mark not only within the computer science department but throughout the world.
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Clarify the topic (quickly, if possible). This student gets right to the point, establishing in the first sentence that this essay is about Computer Science, with a nice scene-setter that helps us experience his excitement. Doing so allows him to spend the rest of his word budget on showing how he developed his interest, how it evolved, and what he learned along the way. With 500 words at your disposal, you have a bit of room to use anecdotes and color to open your essay before revealing the topic at hand. But by getting to the point fairly quickly, you’re better able to get the reader to say, “Ah, I get how this is going to answer the prompt.”
Use metaphors to your advantage. Notice how this student compares his CS journey to the growth of a tree, starting as a seed and ending as a “tree worthy of providing for [his] community.” While not essential (seriously—don’t force it), the metaphor here serves as a nifty organizational device that adds a touch of poetry and helps to emphasize the escalating nature of the student’s involvement in CS. This technique works particularly well in montage essays like this one.
Provide concrete examples. Ideally, you’ll have some real experience with the topic you choose. This student has clearly invested a ton of time and brainpower into CS, and it shows in the exhaustive list of experiences he shares. In fact, every paragraph contains at least one example of real, demonstrated interest. Bonus points here for the geeky-but-not-inaccessible language.
Demonstrate values and impact. This student does a great job linking CS to his values and goals. It’s clear that he has ambitions to make a positive impact on his community, and he demonstrates how CS can be a powerful tool for combating homelessness and educational inequity, two mission-driven priorities for him. Don’t really know what your core values are? Spend 5 minutes on this Values Exercise, and make sure your essay (in fact, all your essays—so your application as a whole) conveys a broad range of core values that are meaningful to you.
Part I Example Essays
Respond to the following prompts in 200 words or less.
Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you. (198/200)
This is a straightforward, two-part question. First, describe the achievement. Second, tell us why it matters and to you, and link the experience to one or more of your essential core values. So think of it as a combination of showing and telling.
Example:
Today is the day. Four weeks of developing our app and designing our business model canvas led up to this warm Saturday morning. We were competing with six other teams for a $4,000 investment. Our judges worked for a range of companies, from Riot Games to Dollar Shave Club. A blend of nervousness and excitement overtook me as my team went first.
Like a scene out of Shark Tank, we described every aspect of our app: NOLA. “Our Right of the Day feature teaches users fundamental liberties while Trivia Trials allows users to test their knowledge with fun quizzes,” I persuasively said as I demoed the app on the screen. It went perfectly, until: “In 2nd place . . . NOLA!” I unmuted myself, thanked the judges, and saw the winners’ faces light up.
Although we did not win, I was beyond proud. Not only because I was the architect behind an app but because I fulfilled my dream--using my programming ability for societal impact. I created NOLA because I was tired of seeing teenagers in my community being taken advantage of for not knowing their rights.
Although I lost the competition, I went home knowing I accomplished something greater.
— — —
Notice how this student opens the essay in medias res, offering the reader a fun way into the story and also establishing high stakes right off the bat.
Notice, too, how the achievement is not first prize. You don’t have to win the blue ribbon or the gold medal to have an achievement you’re proud of. Broaden your definition of success: Maybe you’re a tutor who helped a younger student grasp a difficult concept, or maybe you finally mastered an old family recipe. As long as you’re proud of what you’ve done, and as long as you can articulate why that achievement is meaningful to you and reflective of some essential aspect of your character, you’re good to go.
If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them? (197/200)
This is a fun prompt, so … have fun with it! While not strictly necessary, tying this answer to your intended field of study (if you know what that is) could serve you well. The choice of character/historical figure is important, but more important are the questions you’d ask them. This prompt is all about showing off your intellectual vitality and curiosity.
Example:
Here I am in Bletchley Park. My steps are slow and stealthy as my eyes survey the area. I spot him next to his Bombe, hair slicked to the side as he makes adjustments to the miles of wiring.
“That’s Alan Turing!” I say to myself, quietly tiptoeing towards him.
My heart beats like a drum as I fumble through the questions I hastily wrote down before I was zapped here. How do you see computer science collaborating with other disciplines? Then again, this is 1940, and the term computer science is as foreign to him as morphogenesis is to me. I crumple a few notes. In what ways are intelligent machines limited in helping us solve social problems? Is consciousness programmable? What kind of apples do you like?
My watch roars to life, indicating my time is up. He hears it and turns to me. In my place is one of my crumpled notes. He walks over, picks it up, and reads it: “It’s interesting to know whether a machine can pass the imitation game, but what happens when it intentionally fails it? Maybe then the real fun will begin.”
He smirks and resumes his work.
— — —
Notice how this student takes the prompt to its logical conclusion and incorporates time travel. By no means do you have to do this, but it’s a nice way to have fun and stand out.
Notice, too, that Turing doesn’t answer the writer’s questions, and that’s ok too. Don’t feel pressured to put words into your subject’s mouth. After all, the prompt only wants to know what you would ask them, not how you’d envision them answering.
Part II Examples
Answer the following questions in no more than 35 words, about 3 sentences. You may use comma-separated lists instead of sentences when appropriate.
Quick tips on answering these short answer questions:
The most important use of short answer questions is to show many different sides of yourself. If you’re an engineer, don’t try to shoehorn engineering into every answer.
Don’t be afraid to give us personality. The other parts of your application have told us what we need to know about your achievements. Tell us what you’re into, and don’t be self-conscious about liking what you like (within reason).
Use the full word count! Don’t cut yourself off at 20 words. Is there more you can say? More context you can provide? A “why” or a “how”?
Specificity is everything. Don’t just tell us you like “relaxing”—tell us what that looks like.
More short answer tips here.
What is your favorite subject to study, and why? (33/35)
Problems exist everywhere. Some are solved with formulas while others with experiments. I prefer a computer and code because I can unlock anything from 1+1 to getting a man on the moon.
What are your favorite books and/or movies? (35/35)
Books: My Beloved World, Race After Technology, Stuck in the Shallow End, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neural Networks for Babies
Movies: Under the Same Moon, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Imitation Game, Coco
What is your favorite source of inspiration? (33/35)
Whether I’m tasked with crafting a better future for my family or with simply fulfilling a group role, responsibility ignites a flame of inspiration within me--one which no amount of failure can extinguish.
How do you spend a typical weekend? (35/35)
After finishing lingering homework, I clock in for my translation, IT support, and tutoring family positions. At 10 pm, I decompress with a warm shower and tune out with a book read or jazz tunes.
What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you? (30/35)
“The Mark Zuckerbergs of the world won’t design the solutions to our problems, you will,” Adam Marks, Co-Founder of Biba Systems, told me during the TXT Full Cohort Demo Day.
After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate? (33/35)
A warm shower calls my name as melodies by Queen and Elton John fill the air. Afterward, I hear the calming voice of my mother through the phone and reflect on my day.
What would you contribute to your future college campus community? (35/35)
I will utilize my hardships to revitalize current CS research on social equity with new approaches and grow our FGLI family through student-run workshops where we can teach each other anything from coding to baking.
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Paint a broad picture: Notice how much this student is showing us. We get a broad sense of what matters to them: computer science, family, music, responsibility, hard work, teaching, and social impact.
You don’t have to be funny: You might feel pressure to make your short answer responses funny or clever, but you really don’t have to do that. This student answers the questions here in a plainspoken, straightforward way, and it’s effective. As always, if humor doesn’t come naturally to you, please: This isn’t the place to start.
Make uncommon connections. If you choose a more common topic, like CS for example (favorite subject), you can help it stand out better (and be more memorable) by using uncommon language or making uncommon connections that only you can make. Like this: “I prefer a computer and code because I can unlock anything from 1+1 to getting a man on the moon.”
Student Application Example #2
QuestBridge Essay 1 Example: Biographical Essay
We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors helped you to grow? (797/800-word limit)
(used for both QuestBridge NCM and Common App)
A typical day in the ice cream truck begins with supplying the freezer. My dad and I cut open boxes, and any time we slice through some ice cream wrapper I get to have it. My dad probably knows this, but sometimes I slice through some of the most expensive and chocolatey ice cream cones just to have one for myself, even though everything in the truck is already free for me.
Once we leave Mr. Charlies, the late namesake supplier, we make our rounds around construction sites where new apartment complexes are being built. Most of the customers are Hispanic migrant workers, and my dad understands Spanish enough to not only sell them ice cream, but also gain their loyalty because of his over-the-top friendly personality when making a pitch for selling Gatorade, popsicles, or energy drinks. He yells “Como esta! Coma esta! Coma esta!” at the top of his lungs to attract customers, speaking a mix of both broken Spanish and broken English when they get there. His favorite part of bringing me to work is that it allows him to brag about me and my school accomplishments. His ability to say “Look! Look! This is my daughter. Say hi,” and probably something along the lines of “She makes straight A’s every year!…she wins so many competitions that she’s allowed me to meet the mayor! You know she’s learning Latin? …she’s the best part of my life, an African queen” really makes me feel on top of the world while sitting on a cooler ready to hand out a drink to a tired worker.
Yes, my dad loves to brag about the things that I’ve done. However, I know the struggle of having to defend our livelihood to people that probably think that we’re either homeless or extremely poor to be working in an ice cream truck day in and day out. Most days I don’t even have a seat to sit on, but a makeshift cardboard throne that I’m attached to with a rope seat belt and cushioned on by leftover plastic from the packs of water bottles. He tries to make me feel like a queen when I sit in the back of a truck, and nothing in my life ever makes me prouder. The feverish complimenting and appraisal from strangers are a sharp contrast to how I portray my life, or more realistically, hide it when I speak to my friends at school.
It may not seem it, but my grades, awards, and even wardrobe are things that I’ve had to work so much harder to earn than my peers. What maybe seems like me easily getting an A on a test, or a great science project in a science fair is actually the product of me studying for hours in the ice cream truck, with my head buried in a borrowed textbook as the repetitive ice cream jingle surrounds me and kids scream to ask for treats. I never feel sorry for myself, because this life is more than I ever could have wished for, with my dad by my side, some change in the register, and friends waiting for me at school. This seemingly double life that I live could not be any farther apart, with long homework hours and happy group projects on one hand, and difficult and long hours in the truck on the other, yet so similar as I put my everything into both tasks.
The day ends with us selling to the low-income housing area. Here, toddlers and teenagers alike beg for free ice cream. Footballs and frisbees fly at the windows as the kids here attempt to scare me in the window. Here, I duck my head in fear of seeing anyone from school who may reveal this side of me to my friends. It has taken me so long to come to terms with our lifestyle, how selling ice cream is our only way to get by, yet my praise and regalness from the apartment complexes have now turned to shame and me bowing my head. I know that these kids can’t see my father the way I do and that he also feels the embarrassment of subjecting me to this life, to this work. At home, even though I’m tired, I find time to finish all of my assignments and talk on the phone with my friends. The A/C is broken again, almost ironic compared to the ice-cold temperature of the freezer in which I stuck my head all day. Even though the work was hard and the pay-off was small, I still find myself ready to start up the next day of working with my dad, listening to his many stories while sitting on my cardboard throne.
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Be vulnerable. One great thing about this essay: The student doesn’t tie it all up with a bow. Notice how she still ducks her head “in fear of seeing anyone from school.” Many students feel compelled to give their essays an “after-school special” ending, but … what if you’re still figuring it out? Or to use a musical metaphor, what if the chord is still unresolved? That’s okay! As long as your essay demonstrates well-earned insights, values, and your powers of reflection, the ending can be a little untidy. After all, you’re human, and life is messy.
Play with structure. This is a sort of “day-in-the-life” essay that charts the course of a typical workday from beginning to end, with the writer’s reflections woven seamlessly throughout. The writing is both expository and confessional, and the author manages to pack a lot into the container she’s created for herself: It’s about class and hard work, pride and shame, and at its center, is the beautiful relationship she shares with her father—a relationship the student protects by concealing her shame and insecurities. This is mature, thoughtful, and deeply personal writing.
Use vivid details. This essay is packed with descriptive details: sights, sounds, flavors, sensations. Notice how this student creates a powerful sense of place. You get a vivid sense of what it’s like to work on that truck, and a clear picture of the communities the author and her father visit while selling ice cream. There’s a kinetic, propulsive quality to this kind of writing that—in the deft hands of this writer—manages not to overshadow or crowd out the reflections and insights at the core of the essay.
QuestBridge Essay 2 Example: Topical Essay
Option 3: What aspect of your current community do you admire and wish to bring to your future college community? (496/500-word limit)
Community, for me, has always been a battle of intersecting identities. I find myself at the forefront of many struggles, especially being a black, queer, first-generation, and low-income Muslim, young woman—basically the amalgamation of disenfranchisement and minority in America's eyes. However, being a part of so many groups has also brought accepting and loving communities for me.
Paxon SAS, in Jacksonville, (my community by location) provides me with many opportunities. As someone who is always made fun of for being "teacher's pet," I do take pride in finding connections with the people who educate and guide me—even if they always tell me I send them too many emails. The school itself includes many clubs, such as Gay-Straight Alliance, Poetic Justice, and Creative Writing club that provide outlets for creativity and family. In these spaces, I can find my community within the community, revealing things I wouldn't dare to in front of my family or even some friends at school.
Recently, the Black Student Caucus at Paxon has also been giving me much-needed community.
Even though the school is majority-black students, doing the IB program, I find myself trapped in classrooms where no one around looks or acts like me (and sometimes, people who do things that inherently are against me). So, spending hours purely around other black students who share my experiences, my culture, and my lingo is one of the greatest things about the school.
In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, I saw all parts of my communities come together for a cause. They were all fighting with me and for me, and seeing that to this day reassures me that my community is strong. Inspired by the fire within my peers, I decided to create a group at my school called Pax Acts, which is dedicated to creating positive change. The enthusiasm for the club is one of the main things able to keep me going this year, and my fellow members provide so much help to support local political and social issues.
Within the club, I get the chance to put so much of my energy into the intersections within my identities and communities. I get to talk about the way my queerness conflicts with the way I was raised. I get to talk about the way my race and family's economic class plays into the way society views me. And most importantly, we get to talk about the ways that we can come together and help change the negatives within society's perceptions and create positive ways within the world. Thus far, we have had an amazing discussion with Anthony Romero, the executive director of the ACLU, who inspired so many students in the school to join and help create the change that we wish to see. Hearing him praise my community of peers so heavily helped me realize just how supported I really am, and hopefully, I can foster the same types of support systems wherever I go in life.
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Tips + Analysis
Mix community and identity: The prompt asks about community, and the student does respond directly to the question. She also makes this essay about identity, and deftly links her identities to the communities she belongs to. Let’s list how many communities she names: Paxon SAS, Gay-Straight Alliance, Poetic Jusitice, Creative Writing Club, Black Student Caucus, and Pax Acts. And her identities: black, queer, first-generation, low-income, Muslim, young woman. For her, community and identity are inseparable. Think about this as you find your way into the prompt.
Broaden your definitions of community: This student chose to define her communities as organizations she belongs to. But if you’re not as involved in clubs or groups, or if your club involvement is limited to something that—let’s be real—you don’t care all that much about, consider some alternatives: your neighborhood, your family, your friend group, your church, or the food bank where you volunteer, to name a few.
Share what you’d improve. The prompt specifically asks what you’d improve about your community, which is an important aspect to address (especially since a full sentence in the prompt is dedicated to it). This student could have answered that part of the prompt more definitively, though she gets at it in a way by including her contributions to her communities and sharing how she started Pax Act to “create positive change” in the world around her. With 500 words in your tool kit, make a conscious decision to save some of it to identify how your community could be better—and maybe even share the role you’d play to be the change.
Part I Examples
Respond to the following prompts in 200 words or less.
Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you.
Notice in the example below how the writer turns what some might consider a merely cosmetic choice and turns it into a meaningful win. She achieves this by invoking her absent mother in the beginning of the essay. She takes us on a journey from being at the mercy of others to self-determination and freedom. It’s an effective mix.
Example:
One of my proudest achievements, though I did not get any official recognition for it, was fully transitioning to my natural hair. As a black teen growing up without a mother, dealing with my hair was one of my biggest struggles in life. I went from aunt to aunt asking them to do my hair so that it was presentable in school, which meant that I had many different hands and ideas being expressed on my head. Most of the time, I didn't even have much input on how I would be able to wear it.
Before I went into high school, around grade seven or eight, I simply stopped going to my aunts to do my hair and started watching online tutorials on how to deal with it. I quickly realized that my hair, in a permed state, was not healthy whatsoever and was extremely hard to handle on my own. Even so, I continued watching the videos and doing protective styles (of my choice) until my hair reached a good enough length for me. Then, after a long day of frustration, I cut off all of the permed ends. It was as if I had liberated myself.
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If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?
The following example uses a well-chosen historical figure, and the questions are good ones. However, while the student does answer both parts of the question, her response ultimately doesn’t reveal much about her. Also, from a technical perspective, the ending doesn’t feel like an ending. Even one short sentence to wrap things up would have made this answer feel more complete.
Example:
If I could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, it would definitely be Roald Dahl, who almost fits into both categories for me. I choose Dahl because of the amazing worlds he's created in his children's books. I've read nearly all of them and would probably base my questions around them.
It's crazy to think about how an adult can tap into such a child-like way of thinking, and able to communicate such ideas in a way comprehensible to children of many ages. I would ask him the following questions to gain more insight into his thought processes:
To what extent do you ever place yourself into your own works? If so, where can we find essences of Roald Dahl sprinkled into your books?
What advice would you give to growing teens, or even grown adults, about taking life too seriously?
How necessary do you believe it is to foster worlds like these within the minds of children? Do you feel you're the right person to be doing so?
Would you say that you have ever hidden themes within characters or plots? Which ideas do you feel are very important but aren't as acknowledged as others?
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Part II Examples
Answer the following questions in no more than 35 words, or about 3 sentences. You may use comma-separated lists instead of sentences when appropriate.
Notice how this student paints such a well-rounded picture of herself and keeps her values front and center. We learn so much about her that we didn’t get from her other essays. It’s nice to see her let her hair down a bit here—after using her other essays to paint a picture of a hard-working, serious student. From these answers, it’s clear she’s also a teenager who likes to play games, go on Discord, cook, and watch movies. Don’t feel pressured to be “on” in all your answers!
Select your top three academic areas of interest.
Journalism
Communication
Computer and Information Sciences
Select your top three career interests.
Writer or Journalist
Lawyer (Attorney) or Judge
Computer Programmer or Analyst
What are your career goals and how did you develop them?
My career goals are to maintain a balance between happiness and finances so that I can do what I love without worrying about supporting myself. I want to inspire change in whatever field I choose. If it's journalism, I want to work for a newspaper that has a positive influence on people and the environment. If it's art, I want to make designs and infographics for a company that is able to create good.
Describe which single activity/interest listed above represents your most meaningful commitment and why.
My most meaningful commitment, even though it is my newest, is Pax Acts. It is something that I feel that my school (as well as many other schools) has needed for a very long time coming now, and I have put so much effort into laying down the foundation and groundwork for it so that other students will be able to create effective change through it efficiently. It also provides support for us all.
What is your favorite subject to study, and why?
I have many, but if I had to choose one with many fun experiences and memories, it'd have to be Latin class. I've truly bonded with my classmates and love hearing the mythological tales.
What are your favorite books and/or movies?
My favorite movies--The Devil Wears Prada, because I've adored Anne Hathaway since I was a child, and Meryl Streepemotes confidence, favorite book/movie combo--if that's allowed-- is Matilda, simply because it makes me happy inside
What is your favorite source of inspiration?
I honestly get alot of my inspiration from watching other people do things. For example, if I watch a really amazing spoken word poem presentation, it makes me want to go write my own.
How do you spend a typical weekend?
I spend my typical weekend watching tons of movies and shows, attempting to be productive at schoolwork, talking with my friends on Discord while playing games, and trying out different recipes.
What is the compliment you have been paid that you are most proud of? Who gave you the compliment?
This summer, at the ACLU Advocacy Institute (held online this year), Anthony Romero, the director of the ACLU, said that I'd make a great lawyer, and that has resonated with me to this day.
After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate?
After a challenging experience, I honestly rejuvenate by getting good rest, in whatever capacity. That could be going to sleep for a long time, just wasting the night away on Netflix, or just lying down.
What would you contribute to your future college campus community?
I can contribute to any type of conversation, whether it be with a teacher or a student, and I would join many clubs, hopefully in leadership roles as I do now in high school.
It’s October, and I’ve been named a QuestBridge Finalist! Now what?!?
First of all, congratulations! Spend a little time celebrating. And then, sit down at your computer and get ready to write. You have exactly two weeks to submit your Match Requirements to each of the colleges that you ranked on your application. Yep, all materials must be submitted no later than November 1st.
How do you find the Match Requirements for each of the schools on your list? You can gather that information through the QuestBridge portal or click on the links here. Also make sure to check your email every day, as the schools will be sharing key information about the Match Requirements, activating your applicant portal, and more.
Pro Tip: The required Match essays may or may not be the same as for non-QuestBridge students. Drop all essay prompts onto a spreadsheet and check out these supplemental essay guides for how-to guides chockablock full of examples and analysis.
Remember that you will need to ask other people to submit materials. Your school counselor or registrar may need to submit any available senior year grades. Your parents or guardians will need complete financial aid forms. Clue them in as soon as possible, so that they have ample time to get through their to-dos before the deadline.
If you are sharing any standardized test scores, you can submit unofficial test score reports. Either you or your school counselor can upload that information to your application. There is only one QuestBridge school that requires test scores from the SAT or ACT (MIT, we’re looking at you). In order to be used in the evaluation process, you must have taken all tests no later than October of your senior year. Curious to learn more about testing policies for each school? Check this out.
Pro Tip: Having second thoughts about the order of the schools that you ranked? Or maybe you’ve decided that you’re no longer interested in one of them? You are allowed to submit one Revised Ranking Form, where you can remove or reorganize your rankings. But note that you are not able to add any new schools to your list.
Have a question about submitting materials that you can’t find the answer to? Then call or email the college’s admissions or financial aid office directly through the contact information on the bottom of their Application Requirements page. There is often a specific point person on campus that fields all QuestBridge questions.
You’ve got this.
