The first 18 members of next year's freshman class were chosen as part of a partnership with an organization that helps high-achieving, low-income students forge a path to highly selective colleges.
Earlier this month, before even the early decision admits received their letters in the mail, Haverford welcomed the very first members of the Class of 2019 to the community. These 18 students represent the largest cohort in the College's six-year partnership with the QuestBridge College Match Program, which, in a manner similar to the medical school residency match system, connects high-achieving, low-income high school seniors with admission and full scholarships to 35 different highly selective colleges and universities, including Haverford.
“We've traditionally matched with 10 students,” says Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Jess Lord.“This year's process was extraordinary. The pool was so strong and so deep, and we recognized that there were so many students who we felt we absolutely had to admit—and we would admit at any stage of our process—so we told QuestBridge that we would be willing to match with more students. We were thrilled and blown away that we ended up with 18 students. It's really a reflection of the strength of that pool and the strength of the interest in Haverford, which is really exciting.”
The Match Program is but one in a number of phases in the partnership between the College and QuestBridge. Students are eligible to roll over their applications into both the early and regular decision processes, and in past years the number of eventual QuestBridge Scholars that matriculate at Haverford doubles from the initial match. (To wit, there are currently at least 66 students attending the College who would identify as QuestBridge Scholars.) In fact, already an additional three QuestBridge Scholars have been admitted to the Class of 2019 as part of the early decision pool.
This year 4180 students across the country were deemed eligible for the Match Program, now in its eleventh year, from a pool of more than 11,000, and 501 of them matched with a college or university. Nationally this year's College Matches are an academically exceptional group, with an average unweighted GPA of 3.91. 81 percent are in the top five percent of their graduating class and 95 percent ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. Financially, their median household income is $28,873, and 77 percent are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year U.S. college.
Haverford first partnered with QuestBridge six years ago as a way to connect with students who would make good additions to the community but would not have otherwise discovered the College. (Lord notes that many of our QuestBridge Scholars come not only from high schools that have never enrolled a student at Haverford before, but also ones that have never even sent us an applicant.)
“There is no question—in any possible way that we might evaluate our partnership—it's been a success,” he says.“We have been able to diversify the class and reach out to and connect with students who we think make phenomenal Haverford students but in many cases almost certainly would not have found Haverford. That on its own is a huge success. … But also, these are people who are not only great fits for this community, but are also are also bringing new perspectives, important voices, important life experiences to the classroom and the community.”
One such student is Maria Bojorquez-Gomez '16, current co-chair of Students' Council, who says that being eligible for the Match Process allowed her to strive for a more selective school than the state or city college she thought she was destined for.
“The QuestBridge Program is magnificent in assisting students such as myself—high-achieving, low-income [ones]—reach for higher quality education than what we are able to access on our own,” she says.“My family and I are extremely blessed as QuestBridge has taken the burden of college tuition away from my parents. QuestBridge helps families financially, students educationally, and the [partner] colleges by getting motivated and studious students.”
