Palm Desert High Students Earn Scholarships

Some 1,755 High School Seniors were Awarded Full Scholarships to Top Colleges through QuestBridge

PALM DESERT —Two Palm Desert High School students were selected from more than 17,900 applications and matched with a partner school to receive a full, four 4-year scholarship to a top school of their choice.

Emiliano Camacho (12) and Emma Graham (12) have matched with MIT and Grinnell, respectively. In addition, one more student, Clarissa Bycott (12), who was chosen as a finalist and will be going through the QuestBridge Regular Decision process. Results will be available in March.

“We are incredibly proud of these three exemplary Aztecs and are excited to see what the future holds,” Public Information Officer Mary Perry said in a statement.

Out of over 17,900 applicants, QuestBridge selected 5,613 Finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship (Match Scholarship). This year, QuestBridge’s 48 college partners matched with 1,755 Finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge.

“This record-breaking result further motivates us to help outstanding students obtain the top education that they deserve,” said Ana Rowena Mallari, Co-Founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “These bright and motivated students have a determination to succeed that will help them thrive well beyond their college years, and we’re excited to see where their dreams take them next.”

Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships that are provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students
and their families that an education at a top college can be affordable. QuestBridge’s college
partners include top liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Pomona, and Carleton and
exceptional research universities such as Duke, Princeton, Stanford, UChicago, and Yale. The
Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college
that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board, books and supplies,
and travel expenses.

This year’s Match Scholarship Recipients come from 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 94% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Around 94% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 88% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of this year’s Match Scholarship Recipients — 80% — are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.