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May 30, 2024 • 34min
QuestBridge: Scaling College Access with Ana Rowena Mallari
Masters of Scale
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with full scholarships to top colleges and universities. Co-founded by Ana Rowena Mallari and Michael McCullough as Stanford students, QuestBridge has grown from a small summer program to a national force in college admissions and scholarships over 30 years. This episode explores QuestBridge's scale journey and the lessons it holds for entrepreneurs and organizations looking to grow their impact.
QuestBridge: Scaling College Access with Ana Rowena Mallari
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Key Takeaways
- QuestBridge evolved from a small summer program to a national force that has matched students with $5 billion in scholarships over 30 years
- Scaling required letting go of the original hands-on summer program model and focusing on college applications and funding matches at scale
- Building trust was crucial - with potential scholars who were skeptical of the opportunity and with partner colleges to offer full funding
- QuestBridge's unique application provides deeper insights into applicants and has influenced how colleges evaluate candidates more broadly
- The program creates a powerful network effect, benefiting scholars, their families, communities, and employers
- QuestBridge demonstrates how an organization can scale its impact in ways the founders never imagined when the mission is clear
Introduction
QuestBridge is a non-profit organization that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with full scholarships to top colleges and universities. Co-founded by Ana Rowena Mallari and Michael McCullough as Stanford students, QuestBridge has grown from a small summer program to a national force in college admissions and scholarships over 30 years. This episode explores QuestBridge's scale journey and the lessons it holds for entrepreneurs and organizations looking to grow their impact.
Topics Discussed
Origins as a Stanford Summer Program (09:20)
QuestBridge began as a small residential summer program at Stanford for 20 high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. The program provided:
- Classes with Stanford professors
- Field trips to cultural and educational sites
- Support with college applications
Ana Rowena Mallari recalls: "When they first walked in and I just saw their faces and their spirits in many ways, I was like, I could do this for a lifetime."
The program proved highly successful, with about 90% of participants going on to attend Stanford. However, it was not scalable in its original form.
Pivoting to Scale (11:20)
After 5-6 years, QuestBridge realized they needed to scale their impact beyond just 20 students per year. Key steps in this process included:
- Exploring multiple models of scale, including replicating the summer program at other campuses
- Realizing the summer program model was not scalable due to high costs and staffing requirements
- Sunsetting the original summer program, which was difficult but necessary
- Focusing on the National College Match program to connect students with college admissions and scholarships at scale
Ana reflects: "We realized, and we knew from our lessons trying to scale that actually we couldn't scale if we insisted on holding on tightly to this particular model."
Bringing in Key Leadership (14:08)
A pivotal moment came when QuestBridge brought in Tim Brady, formerly of Yahoo, as a key executive. His contributions included:
- Bringing rigorous management experience and leadership style
- Questioning existing processes and focusing efforts
- Emphasizing sustainability and scalability
- Convincing the founders to step back from hands-on involvement with every student
Ana notes: "He was able to convince us in a very compelling way that actually we could do much more if we just stepped back a little bit and allowed our energies to go towards a larger number of students at one time."
Building Trust with Potential Scholars (18:50)
A key challenge was convincing talented students from low-income backgrounds that elite colleges were a real possibility for them. QuestBridge employed several strategies:
- Using paper mail with college logos to signal legitimacy
- Leveraging the "near peer effect" by showcasing stories of similar students who succeeded
- Providing clear, simple financial aid offers that covered full costs
Ana explains: "Even to this day, many people say there's no way this could be true. This is a scam. Stanford University giving me a complete full ride. Are you kidding?"
Partnering with Colleges (21:19)
QuestBridge had to convince partner colleges to offer comprehensive funding packages for scholars. Key aspects of this process included:
- Translating the importance of clear, full financial aid offers to schools
- Requesting coverage beyond just tuition and room and board to include additional expenses
- Facing initial resistance from many schools
- Demonstrating the quality of applicants to convince schools of their value
Ana recalls: "We got a lot of no's in the beginning. A lot of folks were like, nope, we can't do that. Sorry, aren't going to do it."
The QuestBridge Application (24:37)
QuestBridge's unique application, originally designed for the summer program, became a key component of their work:
- Asks questions about students' interests, favorite books, and how they rejuvenate their spirit
- Provides space for students to tell their authentic stories
- Has become the main instrument schools use to evaluate QuestBridge candidates
- Has influenced how partner colleges design their own applications
Ana notes: "Our application is really the main instrument that they use to evaluate candidates. Now, we never expected that to happen."
Impact Beyond Accepted Scholars (26:44)
QuestBridge aims to benefit all applicants, even those not accepted to partner schools:
- Early application deadline allows time for other college applications
- Intense application process prepares students for other applications
- Expands students' views of possible opportunities
Ana explains: "The experience of being an applicant, I think it does open people's eyes to the possibilities, even if they don't end up going to QuestBridge schools."
Network Effects and Long-Term Impact (28:15)
QuestBridge has created a powerful network with compounding effects:
- Dramatic impact on social mobility for scholars and their families
- Wider impact on communities and schools
- Growing alumni network that provides ongoing support and connections
- Expansion into career partnerships and graduate school support
Ana reflects: "The power of being a part of this and then enabling it to become self-sustaining is really one of my dreams."
Lessons for Companies on Diverse Talent (31:22)
Ana offers advice for companies looking to recruit and retain diverse talent:
- Learn to listen to and understand diverse experiences
- Recognize the value of adaptability and handling uncertainty
- Create spaces for connections among employees with similar backgrounds
- Enable people to feel seen and valued for who they are as a whole
Ana emphasizes: "There's something about how they are able to address and handle uncertainty questions, fast evolving circumstances, and adapt to those that are so valuable. And that is so incredibly worth something in the workforce."
Conclusion
QuestBridge's journey from a small summer program to a national force in college admissions and scholarships demonstrates the power of scaling impact when an organization has a clear mission. By evolving their model, building trust with key stakeholders, and creating a powerful network effect, QuestBridge has transformed the lives of over 100,000 students and their communities.
The organization's success offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and organizations looking to scale their impact:
- Be willing to let go of initial models that aren't scalable
- Focus on building trust with all stakeholders
- Recognize and nurture network effects
- Remain open to unexpected ways your work may influence broader systems
- Consider the long-term, ripple effects of your impact
QuestBridge's story shows that when an organization stays true to its core mission while adapting its methods, it can achieve impact far beyond what its founders initially imagined.
