Austintown Senior to attend Dartmouth on four year scholarship through QuestBridge Program

Founded in 1994, QuestBridge is a national nonprofit based in Palo Alto, Calif. that connects the nation’s most exceptional, low-income youth with leading colleges and opportunities.

This year Austintown senior Giovanna LaGamba received a scholarship through the QuestBridge “National College Match” program.

Students selected for the College Match are “matched” to one of QuestBridge’s 38 college partners, admitted with a guaranteed full, four-year scholarship, including tuition, room and board, and other expenses.

Out of 15,000 applications, 767 students were chosen from around the United States. On Dec. 2, LaGamba found out she was one of those selected students and matched with Dartmouth University.

1. Scholarship applications are based on the following academic criteria:

2. Primarily A’s in the most challenging courses available (usually including Honors, AP, and/or IB level courses)

3. Top 5-10 percent of your graduating class

4. SAT (CR+M) scores > 1240 ACT and/or Composite score > 28

5. Evidence of strong writing ability, intellectual spark and determination through essays and teacher/counselor recommendations

LaGamba’s ACT score was a 33 and she is ranked 16th of 400 in her senior class.

“In talking to the the other counselors, Gia, I believe, may be our first Questbridge student that was paired to an Ivy League school,” said Lesley Busico, Fitch Guidance Counselor.