TEMPLE, Texas — A Temple High School student has been chosen as one of a select few to earn a full college scholarship through a national program this year.
According to the Temple Independent School District, Temple High senior Edgar Saldivar will attend Boston University on a full scholarship in the fall of 2024, thanks to the 2023 QuestBridge National College Match program.
Saldivar was one of only around 2,000 students across the United States to earn a full, four-year scholarship through the program, said TISD.
The district said Saldivar was one of over 20,800 total applicants to the program, which was then whittled down to 6,683 finalists. Saldivar was reportedly one of only 2,242 students who matched with a school to become a Match Scholarship Recipient.
According to Temple ISD, Saldivar was notified of his match earlier in December and was lucky enough to share the moment 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.”
TISD says Saldivar is currently in the top 10 in his class and participates 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 working with the Wildflower literary magazine.
Saldivar also competes in UIL science, math and accounting competitions, said TISD.
Saldivar is set to graduate from Temple High at just 16 years old, and will be a first-generation college student, said TISD. He plans to major in mechanical engineering at Boston University and, thanks to an agreement between the two schools, will also reportedly have the opportunity to take some classes at MIT.
“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 connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full, four-year scholarships to fifty of the nation’s best colleges. The scholarship covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, books, supplies and travel expenses.
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