This year, a Temple High School student was chosen as one of a few to receive a complete college scholarship through a national program.
Temple High student Edgar Saldivar will attend Boston University on a full scholarship in the fall of 2024, courtesy to the 2023 QuestBridge National College Match program, according to the Temple Independent School District.
According to TISD, Saldivar was one of only about 2,000 students in the United States to get a full, four-year scholarship through the program.
According to the district, Saldivar was one of over 20,800 candidates to the program, which was then narrowed down to 6,683 finalists. Saldivar was one of only 2,242 students that matched with a school to receive a Match Scholarship.
Saldivar was notified of his match earlier in December, according to Temple ISD, and was able to share the experience with his mother.
“My mom strictly told me I had to wait for her to get home before I opened the email,” Saldivar said. “So, we opened it and it said I had matched with Boston University. It was such a feeling of happiness and such a relief that I have this done and won’t have to worry about paying for college. It was really special to have this opportunity and be able to go to college. I will have a chance to fulfill my goals and take some of the strain off of my mother.”
According to TISD, Saldivar is currently ranked in the top ten of his class and is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, as well as being the president of Temple High’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), a member of the National Honor Society, and a contributor to the Wildflower literary magazine.
According to TISD, Saldivar also competes in UIL science, math, and accounting competitions.
Saldivar will graduate from Temple High School at the age of 16 and will be a first-generation college student, according to TISD. He intends to study in mechanical engineering at Boston University and will apparently be able to take some classes at MIT according to an arrangement between the two schools.
“I am super excited for him, and Edgar actually came to me about the program,” said Temple High School counselor Melanie Camacho-Suarez. “Once he mentioned it to me, I started researching it and helped him a little with his application and a letter of recommendation. I am just so excited for him to get this opportunity.”
According to Temple ISD, the QuestBridge National College Match is a program that provides full, four-year scholarships to fifty of the nation’s best universities to high-achieving high school seniors from low-income families. The scholarship covers the entire cost of enrollment, which includes tuition, accommodation, food, books, supplies, and transport.
