Private universities such as Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Yale are many students’ dream schools that can be just that “a dream.” Five Alisal High School seniors were selected as finalists to the QuestBridge National College Match. The QuestBridge National College Match helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to some of the nation's most prestigious colleges. QuestBridge's partner colleges offer generous financial aid packages that cover 100% of demonstrated financial need, making them very affordable for low-income students. In 2010, an Alisal High School graduate made history by being the first in Alisal to receive the QuestBridge National College Match. Marcos Vargas was one of 310 students nationwide who received a full-ride to one of QuestBridge’s Partner Colleges, Vassar College in New York. This year, QuestBridge received 9,585 applicants for the National College Match, but only 4,518 were selected as finalists. There was about at 47% chance of students becoming finalists. With about 30 Alisal High School Seniors who applied to the College Match, the chances of more students making it to the finalist round increased. The five College Match finalists are Everardo Rosales, Adriana Reyes, Sergio Reyes, Joseph Martin, and Jissella Duarte. These students are eager to learn and become the nation’s future doctors, engineers, virologists, attorneys and veterinarians. With prestigious colleges such as Columbia University, Stanford University, Yale University, MIT, etc, being partner colleges to the QuestBridge National College Match, many of Alisal’s students applied to the full-ride because the partner colleges are their dreams schools. The students’ reasons to want to attend some of the world’s most prestigious universities are based on various reasons, but the most important reasons are that these schools are research based, and the students want to challenge themselves amongst top-tier students. -Everardo Rosales’ dreams schools are MIT and Caltech. He is interested in those schools because of “their focus on collaboration, research and rigorous academics.” Columbia University is Adriana Reyes’ dream school not only because of its location in the New York area, but because she loved the school when she visited and it offers great research opportunities for undergraduates. The students’ initial reaction when they discovered that they were finalists to the National College Match was unforgettable. Senior Sergio Reyes’ reaction was definitely unique; he stated “My hands were going all over the place. I was basically jumping around the room. It actually took a while for it to sink in. The notification just made my day.” On the other hand, Everardo Rosales’ reaction to the news was: “a great sigh of relief”, he stated, “The anxiety was building up throughout the day so when I found out I was a finalist, a great weight was lifted off my shoulders.” Their reactions were definitely filled with joy as they knew the standards of the Quest Bridge National College Match are set high by the talented and intellectual students that apply. For that same reason, many were in shock to know that they were finalists. Their belief that they wouldn’t become finalists was incorrect. Jissella Duarte stated her opinion on whether she felt like she would become a finalist or not: “I was skeptical. QuestBridge is a national organization and based off of a convention I’d recently attended I knew that competition was high. I was going against students who attend magnet schools, have 5-6 AP classes since freshman year and face the same hardships as I do.” The College Match represents a great opportunity for the students’ educational and personal success. The effect this scholarship can have on the students is immense. Not only will they be relieved from some stress, but this will relieve the financial burden for them and their families. Adriana Reyes described the kind of effect this scholarship would have on her and her family: “It would be a huge relief for me and my family, to know we wouldn’t have to pay for my education. Going to one of the partner colleges would help me prepare for a career as a veterinarian and it would help me get into UC Davis for Graduate school.” As well as Adriana Reyes, Joseph Martin is planning to pursue a long term career. He is hoping to attend Stanford University and later on attend medical school to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Joseph’s dream school Stanford not only attracts him to the school’s recognitions, but because of the personal value it has on him. He stated Stanford is his dream school because: “of their innovation and discoveries in regards to cardiology. The first open-heart transplant in the U.S. was performed at Stanford, and my father almost had a heart transplant there. If he needs one in the future it will be at Stanford.” Even though the students did not receive the scholarship, they know that becoming finalists signifies that they can be competitive and stand a chance with other students nationwide. They still have a shot at a top tier university through regular decision and can still obtain a great financial aid package. They have taken initiative to get into their dream schools by getting in contact with those school’s representatives. Students describe this scholarship as “A great opportunity for talented students to attend and afford a prestigious university that may seem out of reach.”