QuestBridge Helps Students Feel at Home

Before learning about QuestBridge, Jorge Salinas ’26 had never imagined he could attend a prestigious college like Grinnell.

“A lot of times, we just assume, ‘Oh, I won’t be able to afford it,’” he says. “I know that was what I thought.”

But as a high school senior, Salinas learned about QuestBridge, a nonprofit organization that connects exceptional low-income students with leading colleges nationwide. The QuestBridge National Match Scholarship helps qualified students achieve admission with full scholarships or generous financial aid from partner colleges, including many of the nation’s best schools. Grinnell, a QB partner since 2010, offers a full scholarship to QuestBridge scholars.

Salinas grew up in McAllen, Texas, near the Rio Grande River. He calls it the “true south of Texas,” four hours south of San Antonio. With encouragement from his uncle, Salinas applied to QuestBridge and was matched with Grinnell College.

“It’s been great,” he says. He appreciates the opportunities QuestBridge and Grinnell have made possible. “They’re the only reason I’m here, and it’s something I’m really grateful for,” Salinas says.

But QuestBridge isn’t just about admission and financial aid — it’s also a student organization that helps students have fun, find their community, and feel at home on campus. The Grinnell chapter of the QuestBridge Scholars Network provides a supportive community for first-generation and low-income students to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally through leadership, volunteer, and community-building opportunities.

If you’re a prospective QuestBridge scholar considering Grinnell, Salinas wants you to know that you don’t need to worry about feeling like an “imposter” here. His involvement with the Grinnell QuestBridge chapter has helped him feel at ease on campus.

“I did find my community quickly,” he says.

Social events are among the most popular activities on campus, and they all have one thing in common — food. “What do Grinnell students love the most?” Salinas asks. “I know if there’s an event that offers free food, I’ll probably be there.”

Grinnellians’ universal love of bubble tea made a recent QB boba/arts and crafts event a big hit. “We had a really great turnout,” Salinas says. All events sponsored by the Grinnell QB student chapter are open to everyone. They have a game night coming up soon, which Salinas says offers the perfect opportunity to relax for a couple of hours with friends and have some fun.

“I’ve found that a lot of my friends are from QuestBridge,” Salinas says. “QuestBridge is a really great hodgepodge of diverse students from different backgrounds — it’s a great opportunity to meet people from all over America.”