National College Admissions Conference

Stanford University

Saturday, May 18, 2024

We’re excited to see you at Stanford!

Congratulations on being invited to the QuestBridge National College Admissions Conference at Stanford University! The conference will feature workshops on how QuestBridge College Prep Scholars can successfully apply to and attend the nation’s most selective colleges. Along with learning how to craft a strong college application, you’ll meet college admissions representatives from QuestBridge college partners and interact with like-minded students. We are eager to meet you in person and hope you will be able to join us on Saturday, May 18!

Plan your trip

You and one guest are invited to attend this free, full-day event to learn in-depth college admissions and financial aid information.

There is no cost for the conference programming, but students will need to plan and pay for their own travel expenses, including transportation and accommodations (if necessary). Breakfast and lunch will be included at the conference. Learn more about ways to fund your travel.

 

Traveling to the conference

Conference registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at Roble Field. Students and guests will begin their day with registration and a light breakfast.

By car

Stanford University is located near the city of Palo Alto, CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. On the day of the conference, parking is available for free at Roble Field Garage.

By plane

San Jose International Airport (SJC) is less than 20 miles from Stanford and is served by most major airlines. The travel time from the airport to campus is about 25 minutes by car or 45 minutes by bus or train. 

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is approximately 25 miles from Stanford and is served by major airlines and may have the most flight options. The travel time from the airport to campus is about 30 minutes by car or one hour by bus or train. Caltrain and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) are accessible from the airport.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) is approximately 30 to 40 miles from Stanford and is served by many major airlines. The travel time from the airport to campus is about 45 minutes by car or an hour and a half by bus and train. Several bus lines and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) are accessible from the airport.

By public transit

Roble Field is about a 1.8-mile walk or taxi ride from the Palo Alto Caltrain Station. Caltrain is also transferable from various train and bus systems like ACE Rail and Amtrak at the San Jose Diridon Station.

 

Lodging

Student Schedule

Below is a sample student schedule. Note that this schedule is subject to change.

8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:45 a.m. National College Match 101 Presentation

10:45 a.m. Crafting a Strong College Application Presentation

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Campus Tour

2:00 p.m. Making College Affordable Presentation

3:00 p.m. Panel with QuestBridge Scholars

4:15 p.m. College Fair

5:30 p.m. Making the Most of College Presentation

6:30 p.m. Conference Concludes

Guest Schedule

Below is a sample guest schedule. Note that this schedule is subject to change.

8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

9:45 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

10:00 a.m. National College Match 101 Presentation

10:45 a.m. Applying to QuestBridge College Partners

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Campus Tour

2:00 p.m. Making College Affordable Presentation

3:00 p.m. Supporting Your Student Presentation

4:15 p.m. Making the Most of College Presentation

5:30 p.m. College Fair

6:30 p.m. Conference Concludes

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Each College Prep Scholar may bring one guest to the conference. This guest will participate in a separate program, with presentations and panels geared toward parents/guardians or other adult supporters such as a family member or an educator. Your guest will meet up with you for lunch and a tour of the campus, but will otherwise be separated from you until the conference ends at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

    Only one person may attend as a guest. They must be an adult who is age 18 or over. Due to space limitations, we will not be able to accommodate additional guests such as younger siblings, other students, or friends. Please note that all programming, signage, and written directions will be conducted in English and we are not able to provide translators.

  • QuestBridge awards a limited number of travel grants to students who will be traveling long distances to attend a National College Admissions Conference. As a nonprofit organization, QuestBridge does not have the resources to sponsor travel for all students who receive invitations to the QuestBridge conferences.

    All students who have been awarded a travel grant were notified in their College Prep Scholars Program decision letter.

    We encourage you to fundraise on your own from sources such as local businesses and churches. Many students who have attended our organization's events in past years have been successful in doing so.

  • You will be meeting other students from across the country as well as college admissions representatives, so we recommend that you dress nicely (business casual). You might consider layers, as you will be touring a college campus in the summer months and sitting in indoor spaces that are air-conditioned. Suits or other formal apparel are not necessary, but comfortable walking shoes are highly encouraged.

    You will be provided with a tote bag, water bottle, and pen to use throughout the day but feel free to bring any other supplies you feel you might need to be comfortable throughout the day.

  • If either you or your guest will need special assistance (such as wheelchair accessibility or sign language translation), please email us at questions@questbridge.org as far in advance as possible, but at least two weeks prior to the conference. Please note that we will provide vegetarian lunch options (you do not have to request this ahead of time) but are unable to accommodate other dietary restrictions.

  • We are committed to having a healthy and safe environment, with the understanding that no event is risk-free. We encourage participants to stay home if they feel sick but all attendees participate at their own risk. Masking at the conference is a personal choice that is left up to each individual and we ask that you respect everyone's choice.

  • If you are unable to attend the National College Admissions Conference at Stanford University, you may be eligible to attend one of our other on-campus conferences instead. Please email us at questions@questbridge.org with the subject line "Conference location change" to request this change. If you are unable to attend on-campus conferences, note that you will still have access to the virtual conference and recordings of key sessions later this summer.