<p>I hope that's true...It does make sense, I just like to worry, lol.</p>
<p>Though, I don't think 1000 is a very big number for a NATIONwide scholarship.</p>
<p>I disagree. 1000 is a big number, considering they are meeting all unmet financial need, which can be a very large amount. Think about Discover (only one big national award, two awards per state), or Coke, or Wal-mart. I don't think any of these offer even 100 awards, much less 1000 - and the size of those generally don't compare to ALL unmet financial ned.</p>
<p>So, I am very grateful. :-)</p>
<p>I don't quaify for the Pell Grant and even if you make 0 dollars a year its worthless without the Pell grant.</p>
<p>wait a sec....I thought they covered Self-Help not unmet financial need. . . .well, which one is it?</p>
<p>I think they cover unmet financial aid. You're still required to pay the EFC and do work study, I believe.</p>
<p>Oh, and gphoenix: I understand that it certainly is a huge number considering all that is offered to the winners...I'm just saying that it's hard for me to believe I would be in the top 1000 pool of applicants. Self-doubt, I guess :P</p>
<p>I realllllly hope the finalists are really the winners, or else I'll go crazy after this month of anticipation, lol.</p>
<p>Has everyone who is considered a semi-finalist received their notification letter? The gates website said that everyone would receive their letters early april.</p>
<p>Has anyone received a letter stating that you are not a semi-finalist?</p>
<p>I got one saying I'd "advanced to the second stage" or something along those lines.</p>
<p>I don't qualify. She told me to negotiate for a Pell Grant with my college---YEAH, like that'll happen!</p>
<p>Blargh. This college financial aid thing is kicking my ass. Twice a day at minimum.</p>
<p>Ok, so I called one of my school's fin aid office, and they say it actually differs based on... well... every individual is different. There is no one-sentence answer as to how they define unmet need. (For schools that meet 100% of your need, it's generally anywhere from 1k to a few thousand. That's the sense I'm gettin anyways.) Specifically, each program under Gates (for me it is the Organization of Chinese Americans, but it might be so with you) has a different formula for aid, and has a certain amount of aid to give you, and has favorites, so that aid is different for every kid.</p>
<p>So in other words, anything I know is nothing. They will cover all unmet financial need, should probably cover loans, may cover work study, won't cover parent contribution, and the answer varies. :-( I give up.</p>
<p>I hate all this confusing crap. :(</p>
<p>yea i'm curious about that too, has anyone received a letter saying that they didn't make it? cause maybe thats why i haven't received anything</p>
<p>hey guys, all of you who made it, can you post your stats please? If it's not a bother, thanks : )</p>
<p>I talked to the scholarship coordinator today--she said the finalists are simply what they are---"the best applicants in our pool" but not everyone becomes a winner, and she said people WILL be eliminated from the second phase.</p>
<p>I think it'll just be the people that weren't eligible for Pell grants/lied on their apps that will be eliminated. Or I hope.</p>
<p>Excuse me?! Are you suggesting that I lied on my application? My EFC was 4000--the cutoff is 3950! OF COURse I would still apply for this scholarship if the difference is 50. Wow there are some really mean pple on CC.</p>
<p>What are you talking about? I wasn't talking about you at all. You were saying that some people will still be eliminated at this point, and I said that they will probably be the ones that didn't turn out being eligible for Pell, or that have discrepencies between what they said on their applications and what is on their transcripts, I.E. people lying about their grades or scores. If that wasn't clear from what I said, it's certainly what was meant. Don't be so defensive; of course you should have still applied with only a $50 difference.</p>
<p>My daughter was also chosen as a finalist.We found out after sending in the Gates app that we did not qualify for a Pell Grant. I called the Gates people and they said not to bother sending in the finalist s paperwork because she would be disqualified anyways!! We are in no way rich or even "comfortable" I think the FAFSA is absolute garbage!!!Hey and when you think about it the unmet need that the Gates covers is really not that much, thanks alot Bill!Oh well my D got a full ride plus stipend at WASHU!!! Good luck to all the Gates finalists!</p>
<p>The official Gates answer for OCA finalists is that it covers self-help: loans & work study. :-D</p>