Pleasant View Senior Nominated for Prestigious Summer Scholars Program

Each year, juniors from across the country apply to Questbridge’s prestigious College Prep Scholars Program, and even during the pandemic, the application rate was at its highest nationally with over 12,600 applications. This year, one of our PVS seniors, Noor Khatib, earned the honor of being selected for this program.

Questbridge, an organization that provides students with financial assistance to some of the most competitive colleges in the country, offers one of the highest honors a high school student can receive. High school juniors who are selected for the Summer Scholars Program receive invitations to summer programs at Stanford and Yale, and they receive stipends for laptops and campus visits. They are also strong contenders for the Questbridge National College Match Scholarship, a program that students apply for in their senior year. For the College Match Program, Questbridge partners with 40 different colleges and universities across the U.S. to offer a National College Match scholarship. This scholarship covers all college fees, ranging from a student’s tuition to their books and even supply fees. All applicants submit their applications by September of their senior year. In early October, these applicants are matched with up to 12 college partners for consideration. Later in the month, the students are notified as to whether they are finalists.

While this summer’s Scholars Program was held virtually, Noor was still able to participate in online programs and discussions with numerous colleges, and she will receive additional guidance from Questbridge during her application process this year. Noor heard about the program through the school’s college counselor, Mrs. Alejo, and decided to apply. “After hearing about it and getting selected, I was very surprised but very happy.” When asked what she did to prepare, she said, “Honestly...I just answered the questions as truthfully and as straightforward as I could.”

Throughout the application and selection process, Noor did not exaggerate or overstate her answers; instead, she presented her authentic life experience. Noor said that the summer program is certainly beneficial in preparing students for their college application process, and she encourages underclassmen at PVS to pursue this opportunity their junior year, as well.