Jenks High School seniors Ila Sous and Toluwani Ladapo earned full, four-year scholarships to two of the most prestigious universities in the nation. The students were recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients through QuestBridge, a national nonprofit connecting the nation’s most exceptional, low-income students with leading institutions of higher education.
Sous was matched with the University of Pennsylvania, and Ladapo matched with Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
Out of over 20,800 applicants, QuestBridge selected 6,683 Finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. This year, the Jenks High School students are among 2,242 students from across the country who were named Match Scholarship Recipients. The Match Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and travel expenses. After a lengthy process of applications and essays to QuestBridge’s college partners, the JHS students were notified of the life-changing news via email in early December.
Sous, who is currently enrolled in five advanced placement courses at JHS and is considering a Pre-Med major at Penn, is still getting over the initial shock of being a Match Recipient.
“I can’t believe it,” Sous remarked. “I don’t think it’s even hit me yet how big of a deal this really is for me. I know this will open so many doors for me and give me so many resources as I move forward into college. I know there is already a community at Penn of other QuestBridge recipients, so I can’t wait to meet them and share with them and learn more about their experiences.”
Ladapo is from Nigeria and has been attending Jenks Public Schools since fifth grade. The 17-year-old wants to enter the medical field someday and knows how important a QuestBridge match will be to easing the financial burden of his undergraduate studies.
“It means so much to me be because I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay for college,” Ladapo stated. “My sister is a few years older than me, and I watched her struggle to afford tuition so receiving this full scholarship is so important to me. I’m very grateful for this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to a great experience at Colgate.”
Across the country, the 2023 QuestBridge Match Recipients have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 93% are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Around 92% come from a household with an annual income under $65,000, and 87% qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. The majority of this year’s Match Scholarship Recipients - 82% - are among the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the United States.