Providing top tier students from low-income households with the ability to attend top tier colleges has the lifeblood of the non-profit organization QuestBridge since its inception in 2004. 

QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to elite students across the nation who come from low-income families. It provides them with a means to attend top-tier colleges on a full ride scholarship for four years.

“It’s a great way for students with low income situations to be able to maximize their chances for admission to a top school,”  said Kevin Crimmins, Director of College Counseling.

To apply for QuestBridge, students must come from a household that earns less than $65,000 annually. On top of that, applicants must fall in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, have close to straight A’s, and take a challenging course load. In the beginning of their senior year, applicants fill out a QuestBridge Match application in addition to typical college application components such as essays, ACT or SAT scores, and teacher recommendations. 

If accepted to be a QuestBridge finalist, students then select around 10 of the colleges that partner with QuestBridge such as Stanford and Boston College to send their QuestBridge applications. If accepted into one of those colleges, students are obligated to attend them similarly to the Early Decision College admissions program. 

“(QuestBridge) is very powerful because it’s a pathway, a tool that allows them to maximize their chances to get accepted,” said Crimmins. “They basically do multiple early decisions, which can help admission chances.” 

While QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization, it is highly selective. In 2020, out of the 18,000 applicants, only 6,850 were accepted into the program. 

“In the five years that I have been (at SLUH) we’ve had five matches and students that have earned scholarships,” said Crimmins. “It is a hard program to get accepted into.” 

This year, two seniors were admitted to be QuestBridge finalists.

For all students interested in the QuestBridge program, Crimmins encourages them to check out the QuestBridge website to ensure they fit the criteria, then talk to their college counselor. 

“We can, and are more than happy to help you work through the process, and we do that every year,” said Crimmins. “ We will help guide you through the whole process so if you are interested please come talk to us.”