Ramon grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Rauner College Prep, part of Chicago’s Noble Network of Charter Schools. “Rauner was very much a college-oriented high school that wanted to prepare us for that next step of our lives,” he recalls.
One of Ramon’s college counselors introduced him to the QuestBridge program. Only the top five students at Rauner each year were allowed to apply for the QuestBridge National College Match, and typically, one finalist from the school matched per year.
With two older siblings who had already graduated from college, Ramon felt well-informed and supported in the college admission process. However, he found that “QuestBridge definitely did help expand the amount of schools that I was looking into.” He was able to learn about other universities and liberal arts colleges that QuestBridge partners with: “For example, I was not aware of what Rice was, especially coming from Chicago.”
Two of Ramon’s biggest challenges during the QuestBridge process were completing the large volume of required essays and ensuring that he stood out from other applicants. Ramon remembers the QuestBridge deadline as “one of the first nights that I ever had to stay up and work on essays.”
But matching with Rice confirmed that the time and effort was worth it. Looking back on the process, Ramon advises QuestBridge applicants to “highlight what makes you unique.” Since the National College Match program is designed for academically strong students from limited-income backgrounds, “I think the best thing that you can do with [the QuestBridge Application Essays] is highlight the effort you put outside of a school setting and what really interests you.” His own essays discussed programs that he had participated in during the summer outside of the classroom.
For example, Ramon had been fortunate to spend the summer after his junior year of high school in Germany, a learning experience he shared through his QuestBridge application. Despite initially believing that he was not able to study abroad for financial reasons, he found a program and scholarships to cover the costs. He advises other applicants to “definitely highlight those moments where you persevered and you were able to do something for yourself.”
Definitely highlight those moments where you persevered and you were able to do something for yourself.
Ramon’s experience overseas shaped his initial interest in Rice due to the university’s breadth of study abroad programs. Rice partners with Sophia University in Japan, one of the universities where Ramon had been interested in studying abroad during high school. Additionally, as an introvert who aimed to go to college out-of-state, he was attracted to the tight-knit family culture fostered by the residential college system. Finding out that he had matched with Rice was a very emotional experience: “It’s definitely one of those highlight moments that you will only experience once in your life.”
Although he first planned to study business with a concentration in finance, Ramon is now majoring in political science with a minor in business due to his passion for foreign policy. He’s been able to explore his academic interests through the Alexander Hamilton Society, a student organization that seeks to prepare students for careers in foreign policy and national security through collaboration with Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
On campus, Ramon has been involved first as a member and now as current co-head of the Culture and Inclusion Committee at Duncan College. He especially appreciates the welcoming environment fostered by the residential college system: “The [Duncan] Kangaroos, we’re very prideful when it comes to ensuring that everyone feels welcome at the residential college.” Even if not every student knows each other personally, “you recognize everyone’s faces, and you can just give a nod to someone and they will nod back at you. It’s really nice to have familiar faces.”
Ramon also works as an Owl Guide in the Office of Admission, a position that allows him to share his experiences and challenges with prospective students. Additionally, he has been selected as an Event Coordinator for the QuestBridge Scholars Network (QSN) at Rice. These events give QuestBridge Scholars the opportunity to make connections with peers from similar backgrounds. “During the transition from high school to college, it can be a little difficult to find your community,” Ramon acknowledges. For this reason, he wants to use the QuestBridge community to give students a foundation to talk and get to know each other across different residential colleges.
After graduating from Rice, Ramon plans to attend law school, but he hasn’t determined whether he wants to enroll immediately after completing his bachelor’s degree: “Something that I’m very passionate about is traveling, so I want to see if I can possibly do my master’s degree in London.” He’s currently exploring opportunities for graduate school abroad through the Fulbright program.
Additionally, Ramon appreciates the support that Rice provides to both students and recent alumni as they explore post-graduate options. “Rice is very passionate about helping students after graduation and…ensuring that students have a plan or idea for what they’ll do once they [graduate],” he says. Even after the undergraduate experience ends, the university’s continued support in networking and job searching ensures that alumni are still part of the Rice community.