LUBBOCK, Texas — A senior at Margaret Talkington School for Young Women Leaders has the chance to obtain a full-ride scholarship to one of the top schools in the country with the help of her teachers and peers.

Francisca Marquez, 17, told EverythingLubbock.com she applied for the Questbridge Scholarship at the end of her junior year with the help of her college and success counselor, Brandi Couch.

The Questbridge scholarship is a program that prides itself on connecting students from low-income backgrounds with some of the best schools in the country.

“My counselor, Miss Couch, basically told me everything to know about it; she helped me through every step of the process. And that’s how I learned about it,” Francisca said.

Francisca has attended Talkington since she was a sixth grader and said that it has helped her become the young woman that she is today.

“I think once I started high school, it really hit me that like, I wouldn’t be able to get where I am now. If it wasn’t for all of the classes I had to take, or all of the teachers I was around, or just having a college advisor, Francisca said.

Brandy Couch, Francisca’s college advisor, said the Talkington senior first caught her eye due to her “unique style” and ability to stand out. She got to know her a lot more through the application process for Questbridge.

Couch said over the last six months, she has witnessed Francisca see herself the way she and all of her other teachers have seen her since she started attending Talkington.

Francisca told EverythingLubbock.com that her number-one choice was Northwestern University in Illinois, and her plan is to combine math and art history. She has also applied to Columbia University, the University of Chicago and Boston University.

The deadline for the Questbridge Scholarship is November 1, and she will find out if she was awarded the scholarship on December 1.