Saipan International School seniors Stephanie Kim and Lisha Lai
PALO ALTO, California — QuestBridge is proud to announce the results of the 2023 QuestBridge National College Match, a program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to 50 of the nation’s best colleges. Out of over 20,800 applicants, QuestBridge selected 6,683 finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. This year, QuestBridge’s 50 college partners matched with 2,242 finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship recipients to date for QuestBridge. At Saipan International School, two students were matched out of the 23 seniors at the school. Stephanie Kim was matched at Wesleyan University and Lisha Lai was matched at Boston College.
“We are thrilled to welcome this historic number of QuestBridge Scholars,” said Ana Rowena Mallari, co-founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “These Scholars will bring a depth of thought and range of experiences to our college partner campuses that will surely enrich their new communities.”
Match Scholarship recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college is affordable. QuestBridge’s partners include top colleges and universities such as Princeton, Brown, Claremont McKenna, Bowdoin, Columbia, Emory, MIT, Northwestern, Boston College, Swarthmore, Vanderbilt, Wesleyan, and Williams. The Match Scholarship is made up of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing and food, books and supplies, and travel expenses. The Match Scholarship is offered without loans or a parental contribution.
“It still feels surreal to know that I got matched to Boston College with a QuestBridge Scholarship,” reflected Lisha Lai. “Becoming a finalist was already exciting enough, but being able to attend Boston College, a top-tier college that I love, is even more incredible. I have been expressing my desire to go to Boston College since my junior year, and now, I am beyond grateful and excited to be spending the next four years of my life at Boston College with a full ride. This signifies a brand new stage of my life and a significant step toward achieving my academic goals. I have never felt happier, and witnessing the happiness on my parents’ faces fills me with joy. I am deeply honored and grateful that all the hard work I put into my high school years and throughout the application process has been recognized. QuestBridge has truly helped me fulfill my dream.”
This year’s Match Scholarship recipients come from 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “In the past five years, we have had a Questbridge match every year but this is the first time we have ever had two matches,” said Dr. Ron Snyder, SIS headmaster. “We are all very proud of Stephanie and Lisha. They are top-notch students and they has been recognized by two top-tier schools. These two scholarships will add up to over three-quarters of a million dollars for these two wonderful students.”
These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 93% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Around 92% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 87% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of this year’s Match Scholarship recipients — 82% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.
Stephanie Kim comments, “As I clicked the status update button, the weights on my shoulders were instantly lifted, and I could finally let out a sigh. That moment still feels like a dream, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dream career without burdening my parents. The pain of putting in the hard work now feels deeply satisfying, and I can’t wait to share this gratitude with the community at Wesleyan University.”
Since 2003, the QuestBridge National College Match has successfully connected over 14,500 students with full scholarships at college partners. These 2023 Match Scholarship recipients become the first QuestBridge scholars for the Class of 2028. Based on an estimate of prior years, 40% of non-matched finalists were admitted to at least one college partner through QuestBridge Regular Decision or other admissions rounds.
This is the fifth year in a row at Saipan International School has had students match with QuestBridge. Starting in 2020, SIS Geckos have matched with Emory, Princeton and Wesleyan.
All finalists who ultimately matriculate to QuestBridge college partners join the QuestBridge Scholars Network, which connects students to a community of like-minded peers. QuestBridge also provides enriching programs for its alumni, including the opportunity to apply for full-tuition scholarships to top business schools through the Graduate School Match: MBA. The QuestBridge Scholars Network and Alumni Association now include over 25,000 current college students and graduates worldwide.
About QuestBridge
QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities. By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students — beginning in high school through college to their early career — QuestBridge aims to help talented students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.
