<p>99.9% sure it’s not, but you could easily email them.</p>
<p>Ok, I think I will because I’ve heard so many different answers on this issue. Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>@anotherindiankid, I just called them and they said the electronic log hasn’t been updated but it will be updated by tomorrow so if you wanna call again tomorrow just to make sure, you could probably do that!</p>
<p>@Everyone asking about whether GMS received their materials: I called GMS a few days ago, and if you faxed items, they will be processed in the order they were received. Wait a few days whether you faxed/mailed the stuff to ensure that it’s been recorded (they can’t tell you if they have your items if the items weren’t recorded). You can just call them and ask if your materials were received. =]</p>
<p>@SHSRebel21: My friend is a Gates scholar, and she told me about how the selection works. An important aspect to getting the scholarship is your EFC. 1,900 people are finalists for Gates, but some don’t get Gates b/c of a high EFC. So, first, you have to be eligible for a Pell Grant. Your SAR will tell you pell grant eligibility. Then ensure all your materials are in on time. Another reason for disqualification is simply b/c some people don’t send it all their materials. After the EFC and materials, the rest is up to GMS to determine the scholars.</p>
<p>My EFC is 1300. Hope thats not too high because I do receive ALOT of pell grant. I just got the 5 out of 5 my message for my documents. So relieved:)
Now to wait for late April! -_-
<strong>fingers crossed</strong></p>
<p>ok thanks for the info @thatelephantt</p>
<p>Hi all of you asians out there! I need help. I got my sorry you didnt make it letter but i got it addressed from the United Negro College Fund? What about you guys? I could have sworn i triple checked I checked asian. i’m not even african american… :(</p>
<p>EFC to high? or too low? My EFC is around 4,300 
I figured an EFC close to 0 would have you covered for college… especially at a good school.</p>
<p>@Ambitious93: Don’t worry, that’s low enough. Mine is 143. My teacher (who has known Gates scholars for years) said that anything below 5000 is good. Other than the EFC and materials, the rest is just waiting and stalking your mailbox for a large envelope in April (the scholar notification envelope). Good luck. ^_^</p>
<p>Anything less than 5000 is good??? YAY!!! I HOPE THAT’S TRUE!..</p>
<p>If your EFC is below $5,273, you are Pell-eligible (for this year).</p>
<p>LOL an EFC of 0 doesn’t mean you’re covered at all. It just means that you will receive $5,550 from Pell per year (unless you don’t need that much to cover tuition). Some schools ([Project</a> on Student Debt: Financial Aid Pledges](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php]Project”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php)) will have you fully covered in everything but your EFC and work-study, IF you are Pell-eligible. If not, tight city.</p>
<p>Thanks… BTW Nice username 
And well I mean the lower the EFC and the better the school… The less you have to pay… But your right… That doesn’t happen all the time.
I’m just glad all of us have made it this far, whether we get it or not… We will find a way to pay for college :D</p>
<p>Finally got my rejection letter today, so the anxiety can finally stop. :B Congrats to everyone who made it and good luck for the next round! This scholarship taught me a ton; for once I opened up about my disability of being born with one hand. Although I got rejected, I’m glad I got to talk about my story and I’m glad someone was able to read it.</p>
<p>Once again, congrats everyone!</p>
<p>Okay well my counselor mailed all the documents last week and I faced the acceptance letter. Which phone number are you guys calling to get the 0/5 message? Thanks!</p>
<p>born with one hand? hmm</p>
<p>Call 18776904677</p>
<p>My Conversation with a last-year Scholar… </p>
<p>Carlos Ramirez March 16 at 2:29pm
I submitted all my finalists forms yesterday and well I had some few questions about the selection process. My EFC is 4,392… and I qualify for up to 1,200 in Pell Grants… Comparing those digits to your financial status and that of other scholars… Should I be worried? How do they use FAFSA to determine eligibility. I just feel like if for any reason that I don’t get this, it would not be due to my application but because of my EFC… UGH</p>
<p>***** March 16 at 2:46pm Report
They only use the EFC to determine if your really in need of financial assistance. In other words, if you don’t qualify for the federal Pell grant then you cant qualify for just about any scholarship. The purpose of there scholarship is basically to get unprivileged deserving minorities the opportunity to get an exceptional secondary education. Saying that if you qualified even for only 100 dollars worth of pell grant money its enough. So if you do get denied it wouldn’t be because of your EFC which to answer your question is higher than most kids I’ve run into with the scholarship.</p>
<p>Carlos Ramirez March 16 at 3:03pm
Thanks *****… I just keep thinking that if I got the Coca-Cola (top .3% in the nation) … I used the same essays, the same facts … Then I feel really confident about my application. But that’s not the point… The point is… I need help to go to college!
Which reminds me… I sent them my acceptance letter from the University of Chicago which gives 100% need based financial aid… I’m hoping this helps me out … I figured two things could happen. 1.) GMS realizes that I’m really close and they will be willing to pay the rest… or 2.) I’m well set and they will give the award to someone who needs it more. What do you think?
PS Your opinion matters to me… I’m really curious. But I do acknowledge that the best thing to do is just wait until Mid-April haha</p>
<p>******* 16 at 3:13pm Report
well if you want to look at it number wise, your chances of getting this scholarship is .032% so chances are a little bit more narrow than the Coca Cola scholarship but to let you know they base everything off of your application. I know a kid last year that received the ronald mcdonald scholarship ($100,000) and still got the gates. So I doubt they’ll disqualify you because your need is met.</p>
<p>How is there a .032% chance?</p>
<p>My daughter goes to a school that meets full need and she is a Gates Scholar.</p>