Senior Earns a Full Scholarship to Northwestern University

Hannah was selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 15,000 applicants and 5,842 finalists to ultimately be chosen as one of 1,127 students to receive this scholarship. According to the organization’s website, this is the highest number of Match Scholarship recipients to date. She plans to major in either learning/organizational change or social policy, with a minor in political science.

“When I found out that I matched to Northwestern, I went through a range of emotions. My first feeling was an immense relief – the weight, the pressure of the search, had just been lifted off my shoulders,” Hannah recalled. “I was really surprised because I had convinced myself that there was no way I’d match as to not be crushed if I didn’t. Then, the full meaning of the match hit me, and I was ecstatic. Not only had I been accepted early decision to a university that is internationally ranked and ranked number nine in the United States, but my acceptance had also come with the guarantee that my tuition, room and board, and fees (including books!) would be completely paid for all four years of my undergraduate education.”

Hannah, who came to the Academy in Grade 10, is actively involved in the life of the school. She is the co-president of the Pride Club, a peer mentor to freshmen, and is an editor for The 7th Pillar, the school’s digital newspaper. She is also a member of the B-Kind and the Student Diversity Leadership Clubs. She is also a member of the student orchestra for the Senior School musical and is a candidate for a Global Studies certificate.

Hannah shared that the application process for QuestBridge was very involved and difficult, including a two-round application process that included several hearty essays. “My teachers at Sewickley Academy were very supportive throughout the application process, which enabled me to succeed,” she said.

Why Northwestern? “I’ve always been interested in political activism and social change – but in many schools, activism isn’t a major, and political science courses are more theoretical and historical than practical and current,” Hannah explained. “Northwestern has an undergraduate School of Education and Social Policy, which hosts majors like learning and organizational change and social policy. They also have a civic engagement certificate program. Northwestern has the foundational programming to cover and support my interest in contributing to social change on both a local and global scale. Northwestern’s location in proximity to Chicago also helps encourage local activism.”

Congratulations, Hannah and best of luck at Northwestern!