By Sayellor Taylor

Admission into Princeton, for many students, is a dream. With lots of work from her end, it is senior Borislava Panayotova’s reality. 

Using QuestBridge, a scholarship program dedicated to giving students opportunities for education, she was accepted at this prestigious college and will be attending Princeton next year on a full-ride scholarship.

QuestBridge is a program that partners with 52 colleges and universities and works towards offering a cheaper higher education. 

Applicants must send their information and essays in to be reviewed. Here, one of two things can happen. Applicants may be deferred to regular decision or deemed finalists, the latter of which Borislava qualified for. For finalists, supplemental essays are sent in to one’s top choices for schools, which for Borislava were Princeton and Stanford.

 If matched with one of the schools, it is a binding application to attend. If not matched, application fees to all colleges selected are waived, meaning it is a win-win either way.

QuestBridge is unique in that it offers all matched applicants a full-ride scholarship to their school depending on their income, which is radical for thousands of students across the U.S. who may not be able to afford an expensive higher education to a more distinguished school. 

Borislava qualified for this scholarship, meaning she will only have to pay for books and other things to supplement her education. Room and board, as well as every cent of tuition, is covered. 

Over the summer, Borislava worked with QuestBridge College Prep Scholars to help her every step of the way with applications. This can be beneficial for those less familiar with the application process, as many resources are offered. A summer college workshop is available, as well, where applicants not only get help with applying but also with valuable edits to their essays. 

Borislava highly recommends this program. Not only does it reduce the stress of applying to colleges, but it also gives her the ability to attend the school of her dreams, which might not have been possible otherwise.