Cumberland County High School senior Jordan Kerley earned a full-ride scholarship through QuestBridge National College Match.
Kerley will be attending Amherst college in Amherst, MA.
Kerley is one of 2,627 high school seniors in the country to earn a full scholarship through QuestBridge out of over 25,500 applicants.
QuestBridge is a program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to 52 of the nation’s top colleges.
QuestBridge connects students with a thriving community and transformative educational, career and life opportunities that help propel them to lives of fulfillment, meaning and purpose.
Out of over 25,500 applicants, QuestBridge selected 7,288 finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. This year, QuestBridge’s 52 college partners matched with 2,627 finalists, who were recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge.
“We are delighted to welcome this record-breaking number of QuestBridge scholars,” said Ana Rowena Mallari, co-founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “These scholars will contribute a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences to our college partners, enhancing the vibrancy of their campus 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 Amherst, Columbia, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Pomona, UChicago and Yale.
The Match Scholarship is made up of a generous financial aid package provided by the college partner that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing and food, books and supplies, and travel expenses. The Match Scholarship does not include loans or a parental contribution.
This year’s Match Scholarship Recipients come from 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 92% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Around 91% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 89% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of this year’s Match Scholarship Recipients — 83% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.
Since 2003, the QuestBridge National College Match has successfully connected over 17,000 students with full scholarships at college partners. These 2024 Match Scholarship Recipients become the first QuestBridge Scholars for the Class of 2029. More finalists are admitted to college partners through QuestBridge Regular Decision or other admission rounds.
All finalists who ultimately matriculate to QuestBridge college partners join the QuestBridge Scholars Network, which connects students to a community of peers from a similar background.
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 30,000 current college students and graduates worldwide.