<p>I have a question: for the semi-finalists there are two recommendations we have to get done. The first is for like a teacher or counselor and the second is for ANY individual that has worked on a comm. service project with the applicant. Does this individual have to be a school official as well (teacher, counselor, etc.) or can it be a student/friend? </p>
<p>Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>i dont think so. Im just having my boss write something.</p>
<p>The website says semifinalists will be announced December 1, and I'm very sure the initial application did NOT ask for SAT scores, just letting you know.</p>
<p>Well at least some, if not all of the semifinalists have been announced already. And parts of the website are really outdated, so that could account for the december 1st discrepancy.</p>
<p>has anyone been able to open the list of semifinalists?</p>
<p>Well I stand corrected. They have a link for a list but I can't open it.</p>
<p>yeah thats exactly whats happening to me.</p>
<p>copy and paste the link into your browser. that worked for me. the list is organized by state. </p>
<p>i also was not able to get it to work just by clicking on it.</p>
<p>is it a big deal if I mixed up the recommendation sheets, giving the communit service one to gc and teacher to community service? They are both giving LOR's, so will it matter?</p>
<p>Does anyone know if the application needs to be received by the foundation by 1/9/09.... or if it needs to be postmarked by 1/9/09 and received by 1/16/09? There is actually conflicting info on the cover letter. thank you to anyone who has clarified this already!</p>
<p>Also, you did have to enter your SAT scores when you filled out the application!</p>
<p>It has to be postmarked by that date. For SAT scores, it is on the secondary report form. I am attaching a copy of my score with my application because I have a new score now.</p>
<p>ChocoMom:</p>
<p>The information says that is must be POSTMARKED by the 9th, HOWEVER, you may wish to send it priority to expedite it's delivery and prevent any problems.</p>
<p>@GrayAreaGirl, laavieenchocolat, darkdestroyer12, etc:</p>
<ol>
<li>While the final scholarship is may not ENTIRELY be based on merit, it is a merit-based scholarship. I don't think Coca-Cola considers family income at the first stage.</li>
<li>The entrants are compared by region. East coast people aren't compared with midwest people, aren't compared with west coast people. This is because culture, opportunity, etc. make them hard to compare.</li>
<li>Coca-Cola's emphasis on the scholarship is leadership, community service, and personality. All of SATs, ACTs, APs, IBs, or any standardized test don't prove any of that. I congratulate you on great test scores, but test scores are not everything like they have been made out to be.</li>
<li>Weighted GPA means nothing to most colleges admissions or scholarship folks.</li>
<li>As I understand it, the first elimination stage is fairly mathematical and straightforward -- if you don't have a minimum number of hours, minimum GPA, etc. you aren't considered. I could be wrong on this though...</li>
</ol>
<p>Why was that directed at me? That's basically what I said. And I qualified for the scholarship.</p>
<p>hmm...i may be wrong but i thought both stages were mathmatical?</p>
<p>Hey GrayAreaGirl, to you I was specifically responding to whether or note coke read applications "by hand in less than a month." Sorry for the confusion and congrats!</p>
<p>Ivayhopeful:</p>
<p>No. In the second stage, every application is read by a group of college counselors determined by Coca-Cola. Each college counsellor that reads an application grades it on a rubric of criteria. If I recall correctly, you can get between 1-4 points per category with a certain number of categories like "Academics," "Community Service," "Leadership," "Essays," etc., plus discretionary points that can add up to 4 additional points. So while this rubric and grading is somewhat mathematical, applications are evaluated individually by a number of college counselors.</p>
<p>Is anybody else freaked out by how many blanks there are on the questionnaire for activities, service, etc.? I feel I'm pretty involved in all of my activities and have quite a few, but filling this form out makes me feel like I don't even have a chance for the scholarship. Plus they give you so little room to explain the activity, how can I possibly put everything important in 15 characters? Is this frustrating to anyone else?</p>
<p>I am so nervous! Yes, I am fairly involved as well but when you put it all down on paper you feel rather unaccomplished. I'm really concerned about the final essay. My passion seems immature so I'm afraid they want think I'm very serious. Has everyone written ans sent in everything already?</p>
<p>Does anyone know what kinds of things they are looking for in the ridiculously large section of the questionnaire entitled "Non-School Related Activities, Special Talents or Skills." Are they looking for things like "I play trumpet" and "I speak well in front of crowds? Because it doesn't seem like they give you enough room to spell it out like that.
What did y'all put?</p>
<p>I don't think they were looking for character/personal qualities like "I speak well in front of crowds," but rather tangible things like playing the trumpet, as you said. I think just saying "trumpet" would be fine. When they say "special talents or skills" I think they're trying to not limit your responses in this section, but really they want something with structure... not that you're great at Rock Band or that you know every breed of dog in the world. Those are the types of things that, if you feel are important enough in explaining who you are, would be good for an essay.</p>