<p>Wow, those numbers are really scary!!</p>
<p>California! and About 25-30 peeps from my school!</p>
<p>Texas ! And about 8 from mine. And I go to a really small school, 380 seniors !</p>
<p>Hey you guys! I’m from Mississippi, and I don’t know anybody else who applied from here! Good luck to all:) and crossing fingers:)</p>
<p>Hey mexinms here:) i don’t really think that’s a small school at all. My graduating class is only 125:)</p>
<p>I go to a school with about 399 seniors and I know of 6 people that have applied. I live in El Paso. Last year 13 kids from 4 of our 36 high schools in the city got the scholarship. Including one from my school. One person has gotten it from my school consecutively for the last five years. Hoping to be the next. <em>fingers crossed</em></p>
<p>I’m from Texas. ZERO people from my school have applied, but then again I have a class of 25 students :)</p>
<p>UGggggh I CANNNNNNNNNNOT wait to hear the results!!! I hope I get it, if not it’s going to get very ugly~!~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Hey guys, so the Gates is based on an overall holistic score? Based on last years finalists, what are my chances?</p>
<p>GPA: Weighted 4.711, Unweighted 3.97
Class rank: 1/275</p>
<p>SAT Score: 730 Math, 590 Reading, 550 writing
ACT composite score of 26
(I feel my test scores are rather weak)</p>
<p>175+ hours of community service (I also feel like this is a low number, how much community service hours have you guys done?)</p>
<p>Financial need: My mom is a single mom of three children and earns less than $20,000 a year.</p>
<p>Work experience: none (is this a bad thing?)</p>
<p>The Gates Millennium is the only way I can pay for college if I go out of state. As of right now, I am really counting on the Gates as the only big way I am paying for college. Realistically what are my chances? 1/25?</p>
<p>Hey, I think we stand on the same branch!
But I have a question. See, my school is a little special when it comes GPA. To receive an A at my school, we have to have a 95 and above. But to have a 4.0, we have to have at least a 97 in every subject. My GPA is a 3.95, but it’s because I didn’t have at least a ninety seven in one of my classes. Also, My school only offers 3 AP classes only for seniors and I’m taking 2 of those right now. But I have an after school job. Do they take those kind of factors into account?
Oh, and I have a 27 on my ACT, and have accumulated about 900 more or less hours of community service hours over my 4 years in high school as Hospice volunteer, after school tutor for little kids, and other miscellaneous events.
How are my chances looking?:)</p>
<p>One last thing, my mom is a single mom with an income of about 19,000 dollars a year. It’s just me and my sister who is college getting her nursing degree.</p>
<p>None of us can tell you definitively what your chances for Gates are. Most of the applicants are very qualified so we all have a solid chance. Personally I think the essays will be the most determining factor regarding this particular scholarship or they wouldn’t have assigned so many. 4 days left!</p>
<p>I am sure that we have all worked tremendously hard for this scholarship! Those essays were long and a little annoying but I learned so much more about myself because I was able to dig in deep about everything. By the way, they do not look at test scores. You SAT and ACT scores are not factors that determine your status for this scholarship so don’t worry about it! I am hoping for the best for not only myself, but for everyone because I know there are many people who desperately need this. GOOD LUCK! I don’t know what will happen if I’m rejected but ahhh, I don’t want to think about that!</p>
<p>Its good that you all have the high G.P.A’S and the High Test Scores but they are not just looking at that. They are looking at how many hours of community service you all did, how well is your leadership potential, and they take into account of the awards that you all won. The essays give you a chance to stand out. Its like if they had the chance to interview you, they will ask you those eight questions. They do not focus on your grammatical errors on the essays. They just focus on the content of them. I heard of people who had high G.P.A’s and high Test scores but still did not get the Scholarship. As well as I heard of people who had low test scores, grammatical errors on the essays, and they had like a 3.4 G.P.A and they received the Scholarship. It all depends on the person applying for it and what their Recommender, and Nominator says about them. It also depends again on the number of community service hours, leadership, and awards the person earn throughout high School. Now you can still receive the scholarship if you do not have any awards and service hours. Again it all depends on the person applying.</p>
<p>To you people posting your resume, cupcake608 is completely correct. All of us have a similar background. Not to mention that the Gates Foundation is not looking for outstanding service hours, but outstanding leadership potential. Honestly, you guys are just making us even more nervous because we are all very highly qualified.</p>
<p>Very well stated geiger42. = ) Just remember, if you guys get any kind of info, an email, letter, or phone call, don’t hesitate to post it up so that the rest of us know what’s going on. = D</p>
<p>You guys are all right:) and when I receive any type of notification, good or bad, i’ll post and let y’all know;)</p>
<p>My friend was a Gates Millennium Scholar for the class of 2009 and he stated that the view quality over quantity. If you have few community service hours but high leadership potential, it can help or harm you. When are they letting us know if we are a finalist.</p>
<p>Is there a way I can begin my application (specifically essays) for next year?</p>
<p>So excited! :]</p>