fbpx

How to Answer the Questbridge Essay Questions

Table of Contents

Share This Post

We’ve written about Questbridge before, and still recommend it as an application option for students who meet its eligibility requirements. The scholarships it offers are quite valuable, and grant a pathway to college most students would benefit greatly from. 

Our last article sought to provide a general overview of the Questbridge app, but this one will instead focus on the essays. Questbridge asks applicants to answer two types of essays; long and short answers. We’ll go over the prompts, what they’re asking, and how you can go about answering them. Let’s get started!

Questbridge’s Main Essay

This is named the Personal Essay, and is in many ways quite similar to the personal statement asked for by the Common App. Here is the prompt: 

  • We are interested in learning more about the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations, and accomplished your successes. Please describe how the most influential factors and challenges in your life have shaped you into the person you are today. (800 words)

This is a very broad prompt, which is both good and bad. Good, because you can write about almost anything. Bad, because you can write about almost anything. This can be a headache when trying to pick a topic. We recommend our article on brainstorming if you want advice on that. 

Generally, however, this essay should be about a self-definitive topic. You want to tell readers something about how you define yourself, and how some event or impact has affected the person you are. This is true for the Common App’s personal statement as well, and any essay you write for Questbridge can be edited to serve as a personal statement. 

Here’s an example of what I mean by self-definitional. I wrote my own personal statement on my time spent dancing. This was an activity I devoted long hours to, but more than that, it was part of how I defined myself. I was a dancer; dance was more than what I did, it was who I was. 

This essay does not need to be about one of your activities, but should center in some way on who you are, and what has made you you. We realize that this can be a tall order; check out some of our guides to the personal statement for more advice on how to approach an essay like this. 

Questbridge’s Second Essay

Questbridge asks for a second long essay. There are four potential prompts for this, and it has a 500 word limit. Here are the prompts: 

  • Tell us about a concept, theory, or topic you have explored simply because it sparked your intellectual curiosity. Why do you find it intriguing? How do you want to explore it further?
  • Describe an experience that caused you to change your perspective and/or opinion.
  • What aspect of your current community do you admire and wish to bring to your future college community?
  • Inclusivity involves embracing diversity and working to include people with backgrounds and experiences different from your own. Describe an experience where you have played a role in fostering inclusivity.

There are two things you should consider when choosing which prompt you should answer for this. The first is which stories do you have that will be most impactful, and the second is how best you can complement the story you told in your personal essay. 

Of course, you want to tell whichever story best shows off who you are, and what you will bring to a college. The first prompt allows you to show off your intellectual vitality, the second your willingness to learn from others, and the third and fourth how you will integrate with and contribute to a diverse and vibrant college community. Which of these you have the best story for depends on your own circumstances and experiences.

Most students, however, will have options for each of these prompts. You are all excited about learning, contribute to your community, and have interesting and unique points of view. What you should then consider is this essay in context. How does the information you include in this essay add to what you showed admissions officers in your personal essay?

Questbridge, like colleges, judges applications holistically, trying to create a full picture of who you are. This second long essay is a chance to show them (and admissions officers) a second facet of your character. You should avoid repeating any information you included in your personal essay in this one. 

Questbridge’s Short Answer Essays

In addition to the two longer essay questions, Questbridge asks a number of short answer questions, ranging from 35 to 200 words in length. This is far more essays, as an application, than the Common App or Coalition App. In turn, however, many of the colleges you can apply to through Questbridge require fewer supplemental essays, since the application itself supplies so much information about you. 

Questbridge also only allows you to input five activities, in contrast to the ten allowed by the Common App. These additional essay questions are intended to let you delve more in depth into what you do outside of the classroom, and can be a big help for students who participated in more than five activities in high school. 

We’ll go through each question, and cover what it’s asking, and how to answer it.

Tell us about one of your proudest achievements or moments and what it says about you. (200 words)

This question is open ended and straightforward. What accomplishments you care about most says something about you; what you value, and what you have worked towards. This can be either an extracurricular accomplishment, or something you achieved in your school work. What’s important is not just what you did, but why it matters to you. 

In your response, cover both the accomplishment in detail, scope and scale and the effort you put in, and why this accomplishment was important to you. You want to show readers your values, and what you care about celebrating success in. 

If you could meet a character from a book or a historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them? (200 words)

This is again a chance to show off your values and personality. We recommend answering this question completely honestly. Don’t try to craft an answer based on what you think admissions officers want to hear, instead write an answer that shows off the best parts of you, and where your interests lie. 

We do recommend looking for less common answers, or responses that readers have not seen hundreds of times before. American presidents, protagonists of popular novels, and the most famous historical figures are often brought up for topics like this. If you do want to meet with George Washington or Julius Caesar, then that’s perfectly fine, but you should have something unique and interesting to say about why. 

Very Short Answer Questions

All of the following questions are to be answered in 35 words: 

  • What is your favorite subject to study, and why?
  • What are your favorite books and/or movies?
  • What is your favorite source of inspiration?
  • How do you spend a typical weekend?
  • What compliment are you most proud of receiving and who gave it to you?
  • After a challenging experience, how do you rejuvenate?
  • What would you contribute to your future college campus community?

You may answer these in either sentences or lists as you find appropriate. We recommend answering the question about favorite books or movies as a list; it parallels Columbia’s list essays. You likely won’t be able to list every book or movie you enjoy, so try to curate a list that shows off your range of interests.

You should attempt to answer the rest of these questions earnestly and honestly. You do still want to show yourself in a positive light, but this is a good chance to show admissions officers little interesting glimpses of your life and personality. One student we worked with unwinds after a long and challenging experience with a nap; there’s nothing wrong with this, and answering in this way shows an aspect of their character, and how they handle the responsibilities they have assumed. 

For each question, spend one sentence answering it directly, and another providing context or details which expand upon your answer. It is not enough to merely say what your favorite source of inspiration is; give some reasons why and how it inspires you. Questbridge is giving you a wonderful opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions officers, and you should do your best to take advantage of it. 

The final question, about how you will contribute, is the most difficult to answer briefly. Many colleges ask questions like this as a full supplemental essay, which we refer to as the community essay. For this, we recommend focusing on one or two tangible ways you will contribute to a campus community, and exploring each in a sentence. Maybe you’ll bond with your roommates over home cooked meals, or participate in student government, or volunteer your time, or add your talents to artistic endeavors, or bring the school athletic glory; there are many ways to contribute. You need to explore what you bring to the table. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, the essay questions asked by Questbridge give you a lot of room to explore what matters to you, and where your interests lie. This is intentional, as is the open endedness of the questions. Questbridge is meant to provide students who may not have as many resources at their disposal a clear path to college, and part of this is eliciting the kind of information admissions officers want to know. 

Admissions officers want to know who you are, what you care about, and how you’ve spent your time. They want to know what challenges you’ve faced, and how your obligations may have impacted your academic journey. The essay questions are meant to explore who you are as a person and student, because that’s what admissions officers want to see. 

Of course, writing college essays, even ones which strive to be straightforward, is quite difficult. Defining yourself, and exploring your interests is not an easy task for many students. If you are looking for guidance answering Questbridge’s essay questions, or have other concerns about the application process, consider applying to our Laurel Scholars program. We’ve helped many students realize their collegiate dreams, and are always happy to hear from you.

Need help with college admissions?

Download our "Guide to Everything," a 90-page PDF that covers everything you need to know about the college admission process.

More To Explore

Pencil and eraser on answer sheets or Standardized test form with answers bubbled. multiple choice answer sheet
Uncategorized

What’s on the Math Section of the SAT?

Math is a very important subject, and many different fields rely upon math to function, directly or indirectly. This doesn’t necessarily make math a popular

5/5
Wendy Y.
Parent
Below is my son's review. He was accepted to his dream Ivy League school!

From an admitted student's perspective, I am incredibly grateful to have met Sasha - he has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational dreams (Ivy League), all while being an absolute joy (he's a walking encyclopedia, only funnier!) to work with.

Many people are dissuaded from seeking a college counselor because they think they can get into their desired college(s) either way. Honestly, going that route is a bit short-sighted and can jeopardize your odds of acceptances after years of hard work. The sad truth is, the American education system (even if you attend a fancy private school and ESPECIALLY if you go to a public school) doesn't really tell students how to write a compelling and authentic application. Going into the admissions process alone, without speaking with an advisor, is like going to court without a lawyer - you put yourself at a significant disadvantage because you don't have all the facts in front of you, or the help you need to negotiate the system.

That said, you need a good lawyer just like you need a good college counselor. And that's where Sasha distinguishes himself from the crowd of people claiming they'll get you into Harvard. I came to Sasha worried about and frankly dumbfounded by the college admissions process. I was unsure what to write about and how to go about drafting the essay that perfectly captured my passion, interests, and self. And I was highly skeptical that anyone could really help me. But, damn, did Sasha prove me wrong. From the beginning, Sasha amazed me with his understanding of the process, and ability to lend clarity and direction to me when I desperate needed it. After interviewing me about my background, experiences, activities, outlook, and vision, he helped me see qualities about myself I had not previously considered 'unique' or 'stand-out.' This process of understanding myself was so incredibly important in laying the groundwork for the essays I eventually wrote, and I'm certain I would've drafted boring, inauthentic essays without it.

Looking back, Sasha's talent is that he can see where your strengths lie, even when you don't see them. The truth is, although we don't always realize it, everyone has a unique story to tell. Sasha helped me see mine, and with his big-picture insight I was able to write the application that truly encapsulated my life and vision. He inspired me to dig deeper and write better, challenging me to revise and revise until my essays were the most passionate and authentic work I had ever written. As clichéd as that sounds, that's really what universities are looking for. In retrospect, it makes sense - in the real world passionate (not simply intelligent) individuals are the ones who make a difference in the world, and those are the individuals colleges would like to have associated with their brand.

In the end, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, a feat I could not have achieved without the direction Sasha lent to me. Essays (and the personal narrative you develop through your application) matter so much, and can literally make or break your application. I have seen so many of my 'qualified' friends receive rejections because they wrote contrived essays that didn't truly represent who they were; conversely, I have also seen so many friends with shorter resumes accepted because they were able to articulate their story in a genuinely passionate and authentic way - I fall into the latter category.

As a former admissions officer at Johns Hopkins, Sasha knows what types of essays jibe well with universities, an invaluable asset to have in the admissions process. He is responsive, flexible, creative, positive, and witty. For anyone who is serious about going into the college admissions process informed and prepared, I highly recommend Sasha.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used Ivy Scholars to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn’t just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, Ivy Scholars worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn’t just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with Ivy Scholars during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the Ivy Scholars team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing Ivy Scholars, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, Ivy Scholars brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with Ivy Scholars, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with Ivy Scholars, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend Ivy Scholars. Highly recommend!