Akiko Jindo: First-hand experiences of one QuestBridge Scholar
What background information do you want the readers to know about you?
Hi, I’m Akiko, a senior at American Studies, and I matched to Williams College through the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship, something I’d never expected to say prior to this year. I’m the oldest of five, daughter of Japanese immigrants. Growing up with a sister with a medical condition, summer visits to Japan and being part of an always lively but chaotic household, it’s been a wild ride. Freshman year, I went overboard with extracurriculars, lured by club fair cookies and nice seniors. I’ve been a three-sport athlete since freshman year, now (virtual) captain of tennis, and part of other clubs as well, exploring dance, poetry, and other interests. Through studying at a history-specialized school, I even began working with the New-York Historical Society through various internships, especially concentrating on including women into the historical narrative. Through badly-planned summers, I ended up branching out and working for local and nonlocal city council candidates, joining a writing mentorship program called Girls Write Now, and even tutoring young kids in Spanish through a nonprofit founded by quarantined Stuy kids.
How did the QB process work for you?
Applying to college always seemed like an incredibly daunting and strenuous process, and it was a problem for later me to deal with. (alone, since my immigrant parents had no clue) The College PrepScholar application for juniors was a lot, but hearing that most of our information could be reused for the senior cycle gave me motivation and in May, was accepted. Most of the benefits were cancelled or turned virtual due to the pandemic, but it was nevertheless extremely rewarding. When we first shared our introductions on Facebook (which I thought was only for 40-year olds prior to QB), I was surprised at the variety of experiences everyone had gone through, and most of all, the achievements they discussed. People had been art awardees, class presidents, nonprofit founders, and were featured in local news. Mutual mild intimidation turned into an extremely inclusive, supportive, and friendly community, one where I met many friends who I’m close with now. Most importantly, it provided motivation that was augmented by being surrounded by talented students, both from school and from QB.
Meanwhile, I was also nominated for the Posse Foundation scholarship, and proceeded until the semifinalist stage, when I decided to give up my seat for someone else, as I wanted to only focus on QB, as I could only be accepted to one.
We worked together, complaining about the extenuating National College Match application, while also bonding over similar music tastes and shows. Being a CPS almost guarantees finalist status, so at that point, it was not entirely stressful. But while there were approximately 3,779 PrepScholars, there were 6,885 total finalist results, and we were introduced to even more people, growing our community. Before you become a finalist, you have to submit a preliminary rank form, ranking up to 12 out of the 42 partner colleges which include Ivies, LACs (liberal arts colleges), and other top 20 schools.
I ranked 12 schools, as I liked so many schools, and a full-ride anywhere was a basically non-declinable offer. But there was a catch: You only have 9 days to submit all of your supplements, financial forms, and all other materials. It’s like EDing to 12 schools at once, and the schools would send the portals 3 days after the announcement, so essentially, you have only 6. While it’s incredibly tiresome and rare to rank 12 schools and finish all the requirements, it was kind of a rewarding and bonding experience. Through pulling all-nighters, emptying out my snack cabinet, and taking countless “15-minute” breaks.. I finished supplements for 12 schools, some extra ones for UPenn’s Huntsman Program, and a cringey video for Bowdoin.
When that hectic week was over, the rest was just waiting till Match Day, December 1st. With a friend, I saw the decision and I was ecstatic but subtly, since I was outside. It really was like everything falling into place, and like a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders - my parents wouldn’t pester me anymore (or not as much) about college, and literally all of college was paid for, including travel, and other random costs.
Initially, when I saw that I matched to Williams College, the #1 LAC, I was surprised. QB can only match you with one college, if any, and the money comes from the college, with QB essentially being college Tinder. Throughout my life, I kinda idolized Harvard since my dad went there for grad school, but my parents wanted me to go to Swarthmore or Amherst since my grandfather had gone to Swarthmore as an international student. I’d always imagined LACs to be in the middle of nowhere, and coming from NYC, I wasn’t too interested in a rural lifestyle. My list early on would’ve been Ivies on top, with some LACs lower on my list. Yet a month before I applied, I did a lot of research and my list basically fell upside down, prioritizing LACs. Ultimately, I applied to several Ivies as well, but not with the same enthusiasm, as I saw the uniqueness of a liberal arts education in a small, close knit community, seemingly perfect for someone as indecisive and identity-crisising I was. Everyone I’d known who’d gone to one was incredibly happy with their experience. Williamstown, in the Berkshires is incredibly small and rural, but I loved it the more I researched, and am extremely grateful and excited, having gotten close with many incoming students.
What piece of advice would you give to anyone applying to the QB program?
Get started as early as possible, and definitely apply for the junior College PrepScholar program, it’s so worth it! The resources provided and even the sense of support is enough to drive you even when everyone else is using another platform to complete their college apps and when you feel like you’re doing everything way before everyone else.
Definitely complete the FAFSA and CSS as early as possible! My family did it in one sitting, on October 1st, the day it came out. It makes those 9 days between finalist results and the NCM deadline way easier!
Think about what you want to write about, what sides you want to show early on, and since there are so many short answers and essays, show as many sides as possible! Try to be creative with your answers, even the 35-word ones can express so much.
Be active in the Facebook group and get to know as many people as possible!
Lastly, be proud of your unique experiences!
What’s something you learned through the QB process and something you struggled with?
I’d always struggled with talking about myself; I’d write poetry, but that didn’t have to be directly about me, I could allude through metaphors and imagery. I’d always laugh off serious questions, and when I was tasked with writing seriously about myself, it was at first hard, especially since I didn’t know where to start. It felt like there was no way I could fully express myself, I was too complex and enjoyed a myriad of things. The first feedback I received on my first essay draft, was “Are you writing an autobiography?” I struggled choosing the details I wanted to prioritize, but ultimately focused on a few of my passions and parts of my upbringing. The QB process, or college process as a whole, taught me how to creatively maximize word counts. I’d structure my personal essay as a letter to my past and future selves or use different short answers to focus on different interests. QB also helped tremendously with time management and making the process easier, through breaking it into multiple steps.
What are your goals for the next four years? Do they connect to anything you learned through the QB program? Is there a specific career path or opportunity you hope to pursue?
I’m incredibly interested in international relations, history, and languages. I grew up bilingual, but have studied Spanish for 6 years and other languages for fun. I want to continue pursuing that path, and possibly double major in econ or poli sci, although I’m still undecided in that aspect. With the liberty of a full-ride, I’ll probably join many clubs including club tennis and Asian American Students in Action. I’ll also probably give back to others through volunteering as a QB mentor.
