The QuestBridge scholarship provides full-ride scholarships to top colleges for high-achieving, low-income students across the U.S. This November,…
The QuestBridge scholarship provides full-ride scholarships to top colleges for high-achieving, low-income students across the U.S. This November, two Midtown seniors, Nuria Bay and Hadya Khpulwak, were declared finalists for this selective scholarship.
To become a finalist, Bay and Khpulwak underwent QuestBridge’s rigorous, multi-step application process, which required multiple essays and short-answer questions.
“The QuestBridge application was a very long and in-depth process, almost like the college application process, but even more detailed,” Khpulwak said. “The application was also very heavy on the writing, requiring us to respond to numerous prompts. Although it was a lengthy process, I enjoyed it because it helped me reflect on my achievement, the challenges I’ve overcome, and gave me a deeper understanding of my story overall.”
On Dec. 3rd, Bay and Khpulwak advanced to the final step of the process: matching with a college.
“After becoming a finalist, you’ll rank up to 15 schools that are QuestBridge partners, and the highest one on your list that accepts you is the school you’ll attend, though ‘matching’ isn’t guaranteed since the college partners have limited spots in their admissions,” Bay said.
Although Khpulwak is still awaiting her application results for regular decision, Bay was accepted into Boston College, where she will attend with a full-ride scholarship from Questbridge.
“I feel great relief in having certainty about my future,” Bay said. “I know where I’m going, I know it’s paid for all four years, I know it’s an amazing opportunity I’ve been given and I’m done writing heavy essays for college applications, so I have more time for friends, and can really lock in on my studies.”
At Boston College, Bay plans on studying sociology before heading to law school.
“I want to study sociology,” Bay said. “It really became my interest after transferring schools three times. I’ve gone to school with kids from rural Georgia, the suburbs and now Atlanta, and the demographics and biases in all three communities are so distinct that the subject behind it caught my interest. Boston College is great for research, even in undergrad, which is what I plan on involving myself in before heading to law school.”
Of the more than 25,500 applicants, 7,288 finalists were chosen for the National College Match. Because of the selective nature of this scholarship, Khpulwak dedicated her free time throughout high school to helping her community through multiple organizations and pursuing jobs and internships that promoted skills for her future career.
“To be recognized by this scholarship, I not only focused on excelling academically but also made sure to be involved in a variety of extracurricular activities,” Khpulwak said. “I worked with multiple nonprofit organizations, including Refugee Uplift, where I supported young refugees in areas they were struggling in. While volunteering for those nonprofits, I also balanced a part-time job and an internship with the Atlanta Bar Association SLIP program, interning at the Fulton County State Court. These experiences allowed me to gain a better understanding of my time management skills and my commitment to what I am passionate about.”
Khpulwak utilized her Questbridge application essays to convey her unique background and how it shaped her views and sense of self.
“Aside from my schoolwork and extracurricular activities, I also highlighted my experiences as an Afghan American Muslim hijab in my application because those experiences deeply shape me to the person I am today and the values I hold,” Khpulwak said.
College adviser, Rohini Bose, said becoming a finalist for the QuestBridge scholarship is an exceptional achievement that required an immense amount of hard work and dedication during high school.
“QuestBridge is an incredible scholarship,” Bose said. “You can get a full ride at some of the nation’s most competitive universities, and it gives an opportunity that a lot of students wouldn’t have had otherwise. I think it’s pretty amazing, actually, that two students have gotten a QuestBridge. I think it’s really, really remarkable.”
Bose hopes that she can educate future students on this opportunity and encourage more students to apply.
“It’s all about giving opportunity to students who might not have it,” Bose said. “It’s a scholarship that takes a bit longer to apply to than a lot of schools or other scholarships, so it’s best to know about it earlier, to start earlier. So, I would say the more people apply, the better.”
Bay hopes more students who are struggling to afford college are made aware of the Questbridge application and scholarship.
“This is an income-based opportunity, and the median income here in Midtown is over $100,000, which is pretty obvious within the student body,” Bay said. “It is sad though, because there is still a need present at Midtown, and I wonder how many students qualified financially and academically that weren’t aware this was an option or didn’t believe in their ability to get selected.”
To Bay, the QuestBridge scholarship has opened her mind to her potential in college when unburdened by finances.
“I feel like I can relax for the first time in four years,” Bay said. “It has made all the work I put in up to this point worth it. I can attend without having the stress of ‘how will I pay for college?’ looming over my head, which oftentimes acts as a deterrent to education and a barrier to upward mobility.”
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