(A photo of USC QuestBridge scholars from a general body meeting we had in September 2025.)
Hi! My name is Haley Baasansukh, and I’m from Arlington, Virginia. I am a rising junior, studying public policy on the philanthropy, nonprofits, and social innovation track, with a minor in social work and juvenile justice. I currently attend USC as a QuestBridge scholar!
As you gear up to begin your own college application journey, I wanted to spotlight one of the programs that changed my entire experience within higher education. I am a first-generation student whose dream was to attend an institution like USC, and I am so thankful for the friends, community, and opportunities that came into my life through QuestBridge.
What is QuestBridge, and what programs are offered?
QuestBridge is a national community-based organization that connects high-achieving, low-income high school students to various higher education institutions. The program offers access to a 55-college network and provides students with opportunities to thrive at prestigious universities, including USC and many others!
There are two programs offered: College Prep Scholars (CPS) and the National College Match (NCM). CPS is targeted at high school juniors and introduces resources such as summer programs, scholarships, and visits to prestigious colleges. NCM is for high school seniors who are starting their college application process to qualify for a full four-year scholarship, regardless of financial background.
What is the difference between QuestBridge and the regular Common Application?
QuestBridge has its own application portal, which is very similar to the Common Application. However, it typically has more space for you to paint your full story. Instead of the 650-word limit you are granted within the Common Application, the QuestBridge-specific portal allows for 800 words. You may only apply to schools within the QuestBridge network, though, which can limit your options when considering higher education.
NCM requires you to rank up to 15 schools to be considered for the full four-year scholarship, and it is a binding decision, meaning that you cannot decommit from a school once accepted. You may also decide to just apply to early action or regular decision if you feel you are not ready to rank! Regardless of the school you end up at, it is important to acknowledge that being an NCM finalist does not guarantee admission to any schools within the QuestBridge network. All QuestBridge schools meet 100% of demonstrated need and are highly selective universities.
What made me decide to apply?
I first found out about the program through my high school counselor, who suggested I apply because of my academic excellence and extracurricular involvement. After researching a bit more into the program, I decided that it would be worth giving it a try and applying! During April of my junior year, I found out that I was a College Prep Scholar!
My time as a college prep scholar was so fulfilling. I got to meet an amazing online community of juniors from all over the country who shared a background very similar to mine. Some of us even got to meet up in person through the college conferences that QuestBridge provided! Having access to personalized edits on my first take on how I thought a college essay should sound was incredibly insightful. Through this accomplishment, I learned what it meant to be at a university and realized I could do it too. After that, I applied for the National College Match during my senior year. Once I was a finalist, I was eligible for a full four-year scholarship! Although I did not match, I was still eligible to apply through regular decision, which is how I ended up at USC.
How is life as a QuestBridge scholar at USC?
Going into my freshman year, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of community among fellow Questies. I noticed that they were an inactive Recognized Student Organization (RSO) at USC, despite having the most QuestBridge scholars. However, I noticed they had restarted their Instagram and wanted to join as part of the executive board! During my sophomore year, I had the privilege of serving as the chair of public affairs and conducting extensive outreach through social media and utilizing the USC QuestBridge Chapter email. I am grateful to have witnessed the culture shift within my first couple of years here, and I know that the future leadership of this chapter will continue to do so.
Even if you do not find yourself being an active member within the QuestBridge chapter itself, there are a lot of other ways to stay involved! I became a student ambassador/tour guide because it was a way for me to tell my story and be my authentic self when talking about higher education. There are other affinity groups that Questies can join too, such as the First-Generation Student Assembly (FGSA), as well as the various student cultural communities.
My initial worry going into college was that I would never ‘fit in, but I learned that ‘fitting in’ and conformity were not the solution. Acknowledging that I am here for a reason, whether it be because of my academic background, professional aspirations, or personality that shone through my application, I am here for a reason.
Thank you for taking the time to read about QuestBridge and what it means to be a QuestBridge scholar! Fight on!