Junior, Miguel Hernandez, interviewed Alonzo and wrote this story.
Alonzo Jones, a senior here at WHSAD, got into Dartmouth College, a four year private Ivy League university. Dartmouth is extremely difficult to get into, with an acceptance rate of around 6%. So how did he get in? WHSAD interviewed Alonzo and asked him about the steps he took to reach his position.
Something that really helped Alonzo was the fact that he knew what he wanted every step of the way. He knew after his years here at WHSAD that architecture wasn’t what he wanted. Instead, during a virtual financial valuation course offered by Dartmouth, he came across something he felt matched what he wanted. Alonzo said, “The program introduced me to the world of finance that I was hoping to see. I knew architecture wasn’t my thing, therefore I shifted my focus onto the financial sector. The financial term slideshows, class discussions, and case studies enveloped me into the world of finance.”
Preparations:
Alonzo was prepared for the whole process, by taking time to look into things, such as looking into FAFSA (finding step by step tutorials on YouTube), researching the schools that I had interest in since I had little opportunity to tour them, and contact/attend events offered by different schools. He spent time beforehand researching Questbridge and taking his time on every step. He told me, “Most of my summer was filled with college prep, but I think that was a good thing contrary to popular belief. I had the time to solely focus on my application which allowed me to develop my college essay, research my colleges, and decide on what I truly wanted to do. Because QB (Questbridge) is so early, I entered my senior year with very little worries about how I would move forward.” He had already locked in my recommendations by the end of my Junior year. I took the time to talk to my counselor and teachers about important things I needed for my senior year.
Wait, what’s Questbridge?
Questbridge is a program that connects low income students with their 55 college partners. The Questbridge national college match is a full ride scholarship to one of the college partners. If not selected as a match scholar, there are other opportunities for scholarships and regular decision. In December of 2025, Questbridge announced that 2,550 students would receive FULL scholarships to one of Questbridge’s 55 college partners. Alonzo provided some insights: ”The Match Scholarship — provided by the school — is made up of a generous financial aid package that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing and food, books and supplies, and travel expenses.” To reach the scholarship, there are many steps. You start out with a normal college application, your typical college essay and such. Alonzo then had to create a list of schools he would want to apply to. If you’re dedicated and willing to sell your best self to the college, you can become a finalist. Becoming a finalist is the last step to hopefully receiving the match scholarship. All that’s left is to submit any supplemental essays the college requests, any more financial information such as the CSS profile, and any other materials. You’ll have a short period of time where you wait to find out if you matched with a college. If you did, congratulations! You just got a full ride to the college of your dreams. This is a pretty simplified explanation of the Match Scholarship, and you would definitely want to do more research if you’re interested in applying yourself. Additionally, Alonzo has offered to “refer interested juniors to a pre program that greatly influences their chances when applying for the match scholarship.”
So, how did he stand out from everyone else?
There were a few things Alonzo did to stand out. Alonzo was a very active member of his community. He would do things BOTH inside and outside of the school. You might have seen or heard about the after school podcast club, Beyond the Banter. Something you might not know though, is that Alonzo helped found the club! Alonzo helped create the club along with Jaiyana Wiley and Jake Kadar. On their episodes, they talk about many topics, ranging from things like their classes, to talking with guest speakers about growing up. Alonzo has also worked on projects with the Newton Creek Alliance, focused on saving the environment around Newton Creek. He’s worked as a student ambassador for all 4 years at WHSAD. Alonzo held internships and other jobs as well outside of school. He’s worked as a Junior Operations Manager and Social Outreach Coordinator at a venue company, New York City Seminar and Conference Center. And to conclude the long list of activities that Alonzo has done, he also served as a research intern for the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, located on Roosevelt Island. His work for the conservancy helped generate ideas surrounding crowdsourcing for a collaborative art installation with Ai Wei Wei—a well renowned international artist, known for his high quality art installations.
Should You Apply to Questbridge?
You should definitely apply for Questbridge. Questbridge is something most people can apply to, as long as you fit the requirements. It’s an opportunity to get into a college you might not have even thought you had the chance to get into. If you’re willing to put in the work needed for Questbridge, you should try it.
Is there anything Alonzo would do differently/ any suggestions for people also trying to apply?
There are many tips Alonzo told us about that helped him, and that could help you. Here they are:
- CONFIDENCE: Confidence was something Alonzo really emphasized during his interview. You want to be confident when doing anything. Confidence helps you stand out from the crowd. You should focus on what YOU have to offer instead of what the college has to offer. A college application shows the kind of person you want to be and what kind of person you’re growing into.
- Being early/Being Prepared: Something that put Alonzo ahead of everyone was how he was prepared. Alonzo did research on his own about everything: Questbridge, the colleges he wanted to apply for, and more. Being ahead lets you know what’s going to happen next, and really lets you prepare for it. Being prepared is a very important part of having confidence.
- Being active: You want to take part in events and activities. You want to be able to add those into your college application. You could talk about your experience with each one. Being active helps your application by showing you’re taking part in things. Also, consistency is key. Don’t just start something just to not see it through. Colleges love to see productivity along with experience. Emphasizing activities where you can check those two boxes off will help your application stand out.
- Have Passion: Having passion makes the college application process so much easier. Many people don’t realize that the process is made to have you reflect as you enter a major transitional period in your life. Putting things on your application that you’re not passionate about only sets you behind as you look to figure out what you want to do. Not saying that you have to have it all figured out, but saying that you should emphasize what you love because colleges want to get to know you, not a mask.
- Don’t Use AI: AI is becoming a more common thing each and every day, but it’s important to know when and when not to use it. Alonzo said, “College essays are more of a reflective process than homework.” Don’t focus on perfection, but crafting a story that’s meaningful and 100% authentic to you.