@excanuck99 You are absolutely correct about the tax situation being complicated. Recipients of any financial aid should carefully study IRS Publication 970, and then be sure to report whatever part of the aid is taxable. And as you mention, even if some of the aid is taxable, recipients may well qualify for various types of tax credits that will reduce, and probably eliminate, any tax liability. The main purpose of my post was to correct the statement by an earlier poster who asserted that Gates would not cover the Work-Study part of a Scholar’s aid package. Gates covers all “self-help” aid, including the Work-Study job, not just the loans that were part of a Scholar’s initial award letter from the college. Gates does this because it wants students to be able to focus on their studies and other campus opportunities. In short, taking the Work-Study job will not give you any extra dollars. It will just reduce the amount that you get from Gates. That’s why taking a “regular” job, on or off campus, is the preferred strategy for getting some extra spending money.
@MeliAlamo Yours is a very unusual and frustrating situation. All finalists receive a snail mail letter about their status. Big, thick package means good news. Thin, regular-size envelope means disappointing news. These mailings are done by the organization that screened and decided for your ethnic group, in your case, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. A follow-up email is sent a few days later (I believe from the Gates office) but only to the Scholars. Sometimes, but not always, Nominators and Recommenders are notified by email; again, only in relation to Scholars, not the finalists who were not selected as Scholars. I can’t say for sure, but since you never received any direct word in March that you were a finalist, that may explain why you also haven’t heard any news regarding your status as a possible Scholar. I wouldn’t assume anything until you call the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and explain your situation. Be sure to tell them that you never received any notification in March either. Wrong address? Problem with receiving email? Bizarre. Please let us know the outcome, along with the explanation for why you have not received any notification so far. The list of Scholars will be made public on May 1, but I really hope you don’t have an agonizing wait until then.
I am assuming, of course, that you sent in all the required documents after learning you were a finalist.
Thank you very much @northernAZ! Your post was very helpful. I do find it a bit strange myself since I did send in all of the required documents, and I will make sure to give a call to the Hispanic Fund on Monday.
@MeliAlamo, now that I think of it, I think the scholars also receive a welcome phone call. I think I remember my son telling me that he received a phone call, but I also think it was after the results were posted on the GMS website.
As a 2014-2015 nominator we received an email when our nominee was a Finalist, and a snail mail letter (but no email) when he became a Scholar.
I agree ScubaMom, but the school’s financial aid department so far has been very helpful to our scholar, so I’m hoping that trend continues. It is absolutely the best fit for him, so we’re just going to have to slog it thru and learn as we go. Hoping he can then pass on a helping hand to the next Scholar at that school.
@ScubaMom9026 I don’t exactly remember anything you could consider an official phone call, but it can very.
Some of the other GMS scholars I know from other schools told me that their CBLs (campus-based leaders) and some regional advisers called them to congratulate them, welcome them to their respective schools, and/or take any questions they may have.
Others don’t receive that call, just the emails that follow after the mailed envelope. Even then, some fail to receive the follow up emails for selected scholars.
@MeliAlamo The Hispanic Scholarship Fund emailed everyone who was named a scholar on 20 April. Letters apparently went out on the 16 April. That said, I only recieved my packet today.
@MeliAlamo Does “packet” mean the big, thick, Scholar packet? If so, congratulations!
excanuck90 - can I ask please where do you live? We are in NJ, got the email and as nominator’s also got the letter stating our scholar won, but no packet yet.
Ottawa. It took 10 days to get here.
Thanks! that makes me even more certain that our scholar’s parents got it and threw it away 
Scholar contacted Gates and they are resending to new address.
Update: Original packet arrived yesterday - postmarked April 14th(or 16th?) and forwarded via USPS on April 24th. No idea why it took until May 12 to receive, but it looked like it had been dropped in a puddle, among other adventures!