Three Berkmar Students Earn Full Scholarships to Top Colleges

Three students won't have to worry about student loans -- they have been awarded full scholarships to some of the nation's top universities.

Steffany Ibanez will attend Notre Dame University, Elvira Salgado is headed to Northwestern University, and Jose Segura to Columbia University.

The three are recipients of scholarships from QuestBridge, "a non-profit organization that links high-achieving, low-income students to some of the nation’s most selective colleges," Jorge Quintana, a spokesman for Gwinnett Public School System, said in a release.

Most low-income students don't apply to colleges that want them, according to QuestBridge, which cites a study that showed only three percent of students at the nation's top 146 colleges and universities were from families with incomes in the lowest quartile.

"QuestBridge seeks to close that gap," Quintana said, "partnering with colleges that offer generous financial aid packages that cover 100 percent of demonstrated financial need, making them very affordable for low-income students.