day Helping Gifted Students Attend Top Universities (NAPSA)—Gifted students now have a chance to get the best possible education. A nonprofit organization servicing bright, underprivileged youth is accepting applications for its QuestBridge program, which links scholarship programsavailable at various top universities with qualified students in need. The program gives bright, lowincome youth the opportunity to obtain scholarships to excellent universities across the United States by matching them with available scholarship funds from partner universities. “To stay competitive in the world, the United States must close the gap between this underutilized segment of our youth and our higher-education institutions,” said Tim Brady, executive director of the QuestBridge program. According to Brady, the program “links the best students who might otherwise have been missed with the nation’s best universities.” By submitting a single application, students are linked with scholarship opportunities at thirteen partner universities, including Amherst, Pomona, Rice and Williams. Application fees are also waived, making this universal application a time-saver and costsaverfor students. Students who are not accepted on the first round of selections stay in the system for future consideration. While the program provides all the necessary information to each of its partner universities, the final decisions for scholarship awards are madeby the universities based on their individual criteria. However, universities that partner with QuestBridge program helpsbright, low-income students find funding to attend the nation’s best schools throughits scholarship program. @ the program value diversity and are actively looking for equallyqualified, lower-income students. In addition to partnering with top universities, QuestBridge partners with scholarship programs that are unaffiliated with specific colleges so that qualified students who are not matched in the first round can be passed on for further consideration. Alex Shandrovsky, QuestBridge student recipient and Williams class of 2010, said the program “evens the playing field and removes the pressure of debt and financial woes from families who are just trying to make ends meet.” Applications are due October 31, 2005. Finalists will be notified in November 2005. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, financial need and intellectual curiosity and dedication. Students may download an application and receive additional information about at www.quest bridge.org.
