<p>I got an actual letter and I live in New York.</p>
<p>Edit: Anyway, I do not feel that bad. I have a good feeling about March 30th ;)</p>
<p>…what did the letter tell you…any info on how many finalists or applicants there were…please it would me appreciated…and im sorry you didn’t make it</p>
<p>@CottonCandy I live in Florida</p>
<p>@SHS it said there was like 23,500 applicants, was the most challenging year in choosing applicants blah blah 
your not selected blah blah</p>
<p>@ finishmydrink
What is march 30th?</p>
<p>I wish they released how many finalists they chose this year.</p>
<p>got my letter in the mail today. i wasn’t chosen as a finalist. please kill me now. i’ve been working on my application essays since my sophomore year of high school. i just want to die.</p>
<p>i just called the program and left a message basically begging for serious reconsideration of my application. i know this was a stupid and pointless thing to do. of course they most likely won’t (they probably already discarded of the application), but it was worth a try. there are no words to describe the true disappointment and PAIN that i’m feeling right now. lol this isn’t the best place to vent, but i’m going to do so anyway.</p>
<p>i’ve been working on my essays for two years, i had multiple people read them over. each are about two pages in length fully and completely answering the question. i was very involved in my community with over 500 hours of service. I created a couple of service programs both here in the U.S. and abroad in Costa Rica. i have an UW GPA of 3.72. i have significant financial need (my family was homeless at one point). i have multiple leadership positions. i’m sorry if i come off as pompous by stating the aforementioned and saying this, but what else are they looking for?</p>
<p>and now we know for a fact that some of the finalists probably waited until the last minute (this site provides evidence of that) to complete the application process while others (who might not have been chosen) did theirs WAYY ahead of time and were actually dedicated and answered the essay questions completely and thoroughly. how unfair is that? </p>
<p>i know every other person who wasn’t chosen can say the same exact thing and i understand that this year was the most competitive, but is it wrong for me to think that something got mixed up or went wrong in terms of my application? or should i just shut up and simply accept what’s come my way?</p>
<p>@journey2success wow that sounds like a good application. I’m thinking it was probably your GPA if anything.</p>
<p>Rejection letter received. Seen the “we regret”, and knew it immediately. Sigh… Counting on others now. And keeping HOPE ALIVE.</p>
<p>journeytosuccess I’m really sad to hear that you didn’t make it and honestly, you are right to ask what else were they looking for since you seem like the epitome of what a scholar should be like. Reading your post really makes me feel bad since I happen to be one of those “finalists probably waited until the last minute to complete the application.” Just know it’s not the end of the world and there are plenty of other scholarships available. Best of luck!</p>
<p>I just got my letter in the mail today saying I didn’t get the scholarship. I was really trying to be optimistic about this scholarship because I worked really hard on it and had several people read over it. I do believe things happen for a reason, and for the people who didn’t receive it as well better things are to come!</p>
<p>@Purepecha i’m sorry for coming off as rude towards those finalists who waited until the last minute. i was just very angry and venting my frustration. but still, i shouldn’t have attacked you and i’m sorry for doing so. if you became a finalist you truly deserved it b/c this program is no joke. of course i’m extremely disappointed because this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and i blew it 
</p>
<p>congrats to all finalists, i wish you the best of luck, and thanks Purepecha for the encouragement.</p>
<p>@Purepecha, if you don’t mind me asking, what were your credentials? and how did you go about responding to the essay questions?</p>
<p>Lol so I guess it’s safe to say that if I get a letter in the mail from gates, it’s a rejection letter. No use in getting my hopes up. But when one door closes another door opens. Last week on the 8th when I was disappointed because I didn’t get an email from gates the next day I got an email from Daniels fund (a full ride scholarship) letting me know the date of my interview because I am a semi finalist!!</p>
<p>So my point is dont get discourage, just thank God for what you do have and pray that another door opens. And let’s be honest if your on college confidential that’s proof that you care deeply about your education and your a hard worker because most people on this site are here to be successfull in school. With that in mind I know that each and everyone one of us will succeed. just have faith.</p>
<p>I got the rejection letter today. Congrats to all who made it!</p>
<p>JSea11. I love your response. So positive even in a situation that was not your desired result. There’s a lot of goodluck to the finalists,but I want to say Goodluck to you JSea11!! I hope you receive many other awards. I’m sure you deserve it.</p>
<p>Congrats JSea11 
You know, I’m a Coca Cola scholar and I’ve earned other scholarships, too. So i completely agree with you that there are other opportunities out there for us. Yes, it’s disappointing not to have become a Gates finalist, but you’ve become a semifinalist for the Daniels Fund and that’s huge. Gates might be bigger but it’s not the only prestigious scholarship program. Congrats again!</p>
<p>See that’s the attitude! Let’s be more positive lol I feel like a lot of the post over the past 3 days have kinda been depressing. And I can understand but just have hope. No point in worrying about things you can’t change. it reminds me if the serenity prayer: ( excuse me if I mess up)</p>
<p>God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change. Change the things I can. The wisdom to know the difference.</p>
<p>I can be sad about not getting the gates scholarship ( Idk yet I’m just assuming because I never got an email or a letter) or I can make a change by finishing my year off strong and applying for more scholarships. Preferably instate scholarships because their less competitive than national scholarships.</p>
<p>you got coca cola scholars and youre mad about not getting gates?</p>
<p>@leirsyn yes i’m very upset because I put so much into my application and it was all in vain. anyone would be mad about that.</p>