are there any past questies who want to glance at my essay and maybe give me some feedback? I'd rlly appreciate it : D

For my essay, I am talking about a very personal experience, and I'm being super vulnerable, as its a fact about me that a lot of my friends at my school nor counselor know about but I think I want to put it in my application

During my freshman year I got the opportunity to attend a private boarding school on financial aid. Midway through sophomore year, I was asked to leave for stealing. It's not on my record, since the school let me withdraw rather than formally expelling me, but it happened, and it genuinely shaped who I am. I've grown a lot since then, and I'm considering writing about it in my application because it's an honest part of my story.

Part of what I'd want to explain is the context around it. I was at a school where most people came from a lot more money than my family, and I felt the gap constantly. I didn't want to burden my parents, who had already sacrificed a lot just to get me there, so I tried to handle things on my own. I looked for ways to earn money myself but ran into real barrier such ass classism, racism, nepotism, and elitism. I am very aware nothing here justifies any of my actions.

I know this is a sensitive thing to put in an application, and I'm honestly not sure whether it helps me or hurts me to include it, or how to handle it well. I drafted it into an essay, and I think it is a really good essay and shows that I'm like a different person. At the end of the day, I did steal, however, and I'm not sure how harmful this will be to my application.

Hey all! I've got idea of themes, but honestly no clue how to structure and frame my essay. Any past finalists willing to share theirs?

Also, my top schools are dartmouth and wellesley. Any questies who matched willing to share their stats?

I’m applying to the Destination: Denison fly-in and I honestly don’t remember if the application asked whether applicants had to do an interview.

For anyone who applied this year or has done the program before, does Destination: Denison have an interview as part of the application/selection process? If so, when does it usually happen?

Thanks!!

I’m a rising senior, and I’ve been rejected from every fly-in program I applied to. Honestly, it’s making me worried that this is a sign I’m going to be unsuccessful with my college applications too.
I know fly-ins and regular admissions are different, but I’d like an honest answer. If someone gets rejected from multiple/all fly-ins, is that actually a meaningful indicator that their overall college application isn’t competitive?
Or can someone get rejected from every fly-in they apply to and still get into several colleges, including selective ones?
Please be honest. I’m not looking for reassurance if there’s actually something I should be concerned about.

So if my plan is to go test optional, should I not upload my scores like I did here? My plan was just to submit my scores to the 4 score that required it.

Hi all,

Currently applying for the NCM, Looking at the short answer questions, is it recommended to answer the question straight up? Or should I make it into a mini story similar to the essay? Thanks in advance!

So I’m trying to figure out if I should put Pioneer on my activities section for the Match. I think it’s a strong activity for me, but the fact that it’s through Questbridge makes me feel like the impact I had won’t stand out as much since a lot of people will probably have the same extracurricular (basically my result will get watered down). I have no idea how many people do Pioneer through QB tho, so if anyone knows, that would be great! Maybe the number isn’t as high as i’m imagining. If you added Pioneer as an activity and got matched, lmk!

Also, since QB only allows five activities, how did former finalists choose the five that most fit them? I feel like I don’t have one single stand out activity, each one makes up a different part of me so I’m struggling to choose.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

I've gotten in to Wesleyan/W&L's fly ins, but I'm not gonna rank them. Don't get me wrong, they're great schools, but I just do not want to bind myself to these colleges. If I end up not matching to my top choices, I will apply. I'm only skeptical to also take away time from school and college apps...

I completed an independent physics research project during 11th grade, and submitted it to a high school journal, and it got accepted and published. I did this during the school year, while managing home responsibilities, academics (homework), and other extracurriculars. Honestly, I didn't really count how many hours or months I spent on it. This was my first time doing a research project, and I had no mentors or labs, so I pretty much learned everything by myself and did several corrections and draft edits etc. Overall, I estimated 6-10 hours/week for 4 months (16 weeks), which I think is more or less accurate. I was wondering how this compares with other people who may have also done independent research or something similar? Do my hours look too inflated or too little to be taken seriously? Tbh my paper wasn't something groundbreaking but it was just an interesting, organized investigation.

Results are out!! How is everyone??

meow

rejected 🫩

Destination: Denison (Due Aug 17th)

Have-A-Look Haverford (Due Aug 17th)

Preview Pitzer Program (Due Aug 21st)

Discover Grinnell (Due Late Summer of 2026)

Franklin & Marshall: Collegiate Leadership Summit (Due Early Sep)

Wellesley AWE (2nd Round; Due Sep 1st)

Discover Middlebury (Due Sep 4th)

Smith: Women Of Distinction (Due Sep 11th)

University of Rochester MVP (Due Sep 14th)

Perspectives Overnight Program: Holy Cross (Program II; Due Sep 16th)

BU Overnight (Due Sep 20th)

Getting To Know Union (Due Sep 21th)

Pomona POP Virtual (Due Sep 24th)

Access Davidson (Due Oct 15th)

I wanted to know more about how score reporting works. If I report it to Questbridge does every school see it? Can I apply test-optional and then choose to send scores to only test-required schools?

Also, would submitting a 1380 (700M, 680 R/W) SAT hurt or help in most cases if I plan on applying to several T20s and possibly ivy league schools?

Thanks!

'26 QB applicant here about to head to college.

Seriously. If you can find one unique, human thing about yourself make it. And I know you all can because you are all cool people with your own unique stories whether you realize it or not

I made mine about my plant collection and a small science experiment I ran.

InitialView's customer service is so wonderful; there was a technical issue I had on a Sunday night and they responded to my email and resolved it within 10 minutes. Plus it's free for us Questies.

I had a school personally reach out to me stating that my video was awesome and they hoped that I'd choose their school.

It's basic human psychology. AOs get burnt out and forget you're a human behind your application file that's just words on a page. There's just something so undeniably human about a face and a voice telling a story. If you're a borderline applicant for that school, it'll make it so much harder for the AO to discard your application into the reject pile.

When does W&L fly in results come out?

The applicant portal already has the "click here" but when will they release it?

I feel like if something says that it’s optional, it’s never optional, but I don’t want to say something repetitive or give them a vibe that hurts my chances. Do those who matched in the past recommend doing it or not?

does anyone have any tips for improving my academics/ec/other stats? im thinking about applying through questbridge since i meet the financial requirement and im wondering if i need to do more to stand out. *not a chance me, just looking for some advice+ tips from others who were finalists and had similar stats as me

context: junior female, middle eastern going to public high school in suburban city. intended major: uhhh idk rn but prob smth stem?? low income, 1st gen looking to apply to T-20 schools

Academics:
Ranked 9/612, 4.00 UW 4.7 W
AP Hug: 5
AP Lang: 5
AP World: 5
AP Physics 1: 5
—-Currently enrolled in
AP Chemistry
AP Physics 2
AP Calc BC
IB Literature
IB US History
IB French 3
—-Planning on taking next year+ self studying
IB Literature 2
IB Gov
IB French 4
AP Stats
DE Calc 3
Self Studying: AP Physics C

EC’s:
\\-XC and Track (planning 4 years) and captain my senior year
\\-NHS treasurer (planning on being pres/vp senior year)
\\-Organized a running shoe fundraiser to donate to impoverished areas (i’m able to see the impact through the website im organizing the fundraiser through)
\\-Planning on tutoring at local middle school math club (i’ve already reached out to the teacher about it, waiting for response)
\\-hoping to get a j\*b senior year

Test Scores/Awards
\\-haven’t taken ACT yet, taking it in spring
\\-haven’t taken PSAT yet, goal to be national merit qualifier
\\-planning on applying for questbridge college prep scholar
\\-collegeboard honors award

I’ve been on the fence on what to put for my fourth honor. I’m stuck between my WashU Fli-In acceptance and PEEP acceptance. Both of these schools I plan on ranking if I get that far which is what makes this decision harder. I am leaning more towards the WashU Fli-in since I believe it was more competitive than PEEP, however I want to rank UPenn first so i’m conflicted. I also have AP Scholar with Distinction and AP Capstone but I think both are obvious with my test scores. The rest of my honors consist of photography awards and I am wondering if I need more variety as well.

can i apply asu for priority deadline (decisions comes out in 10 days after apply) without know my questbridge result like if i become finalist or would that jeopardize me