Brianna Sandoval (‘26) is one of the first to commit to university for the class of 2026. She matched with Boston College through the QuestBridge National Match Scholarship. This year’s seniors are getting closer to the finish line as admissions begin to slowly roll in. Sandoval is excited to begin her college journey in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. 

What are you majoring in, and what made you choose this major?

“I will be majoring in Psychology. I chose this major because I want to go into medicine, and Psychology felt like the best path for me with the prerequisites I have to take for pre-med.”

Would you recommend the Questbridge National College Match? If yes, why?

“I feel like it really depends on the person and what they want to do. It worked out well for me because I never really had a dream school, and I didn’t want to stay in California. I was able to just pick out different schools outside of California that were good with my major. However, if you really want to stay in California or you have a dream school, I wouldn’t recommend it just because you will randomly get chosen by a school.”

What would you say so far was the best part of your senior year?

“I would say our senior events, like Senior Sunrise or Senior Bowling. We have bonded a lot with each other, and just hanging out more with my grade has been nice to see.”

How would you describe the QuestBridge process?

“I would say it is very time-consuming. If you want to do it, you have to put in a lot of dedication, because there are a lot of essays and many steps to the application process.”

What is your favorite memory at Preuss?

“My favorite memory at Preuss is going to have to be yearbook class. I have so many fun moments with my friends in that class. Also, having that class with my sister has been nice as well.”

What was your biggest challenge in high school?

“My biggest challenge was my habit of not speaking up. I feel like that sabotaged me a lot throughout high school. I’m naturally a quiet person, so it’s really hard for me to ask for help or even talk to new people. It’s made me struggle in some of my classes.”

Who is your support system, whether at home or at school?

“My support system is definitely my family, especially my sisters. They help me with a lot of things and give me advice when I need it. I feel like I can go to my sisters whenever I need help.”

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

“In ten years, I hope to be pursuing my career in medicine. I aspire to be a pediatric doctor. I also hope to be traveling the world because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

What advice would you give to the upcoming Seniors?

“Find a balance between your school work and having fun because I feel like it becomes a lot of work, and the pressure of college applications becomes very stressful, so it’s important to find that balance and celebrate your last year in high school with your friends and family.”