<p>I just wanted to get the thread started for 2014 GMS. I hope to get guidance from my fellow peers and give some as well. Want to wish everyone luck.</p>
<p>Hey just wanted to tell you KRAZED2014 that you will waste over 25 hours getting everything done and one day in class your phone will vibrate with an email that says sorry you have not been selected. My family has an income of less than 20000 with 4 in household and I was president of the nhs and student council. Had over 50 hours of community service. Enrolled in all honors, ap, and dual credit courses. Performed in academic debate team leading us all the way to regionals. Worked a part time job(35 hr/week) where I have reached night manager status. I still didn’t receive the scholarship there are over 150000 applicants with only 1000 scholarships. Chances are just as bad as winning a jackpot. I had excellent credentials and I lost the only opportunity to go to college. Instead I have to work full time at the oil rigs. That’s my life no college because of a lack in resources.</p>
<p>^ I know how you feel!</p>
<p>@jasosa i like how u explained wat happened. “One day, your phone will vibrate and you will…”</p>
<p>@jasosa but im suprised that u weren’t chosen! U seem so accomplished!</p>
<p>@galvanizeme like I said no matter how accomplished you are those people have some technique/process in which they choose people. I knew competition was fierce but you aren’t competing its just a matter of getting lucky.</p>
<p>@jasosa So sad, but that’s the truth. People chose the gates finalists. It means, that ppl just have to randomly like u to make it as a finalist. And u may not be able to predict what they like</p>
<p>Don’t listen to jasosa. It’s not always about credentials, so it may not matter how good a person looks on paper. There weren’t 150000 applicants for 2013 GMS - only 54000. I’m an African American from a tiny town you’d never hear of from an almost all black school, but yet I’m a GMS scholar. Don’t let the large applicant pool discourage you, because if you’re selected, it’s truly a blessing. Make sure to write your essays thoroughly and from the heart, and simply hope for the best.</p>
<p>Best of luck to each of you applying this upcoming year for this scholarship.</p>
<p>@DezNobryant he didn’t tell him not to try. I think, what he was trying to say is that the OP should not put all his eggs in one basket. You say 54, 000 as if that is a small number! Only 2000 are selected!of course OP should apply, but apply for otger ones aswell. Just because u got it, doeant mean everyone else will</p>
<p>It’s 1000 scholarships for 54000 ppl actually!</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter if we dnt get it at least we have those essays for other scholarships. U never know unless you try.
So thank you for the warning but let us go through it on our own.</p>
<p>My friend actually received this scholarship for 2012-2013! He goes to a magnet school and wrote a touching essay about his single mother. He wasn’t in a lot of clubs, he wasn’t president of anything. His resume was impressive but his lack of too many activities and achievements made him more likable. He didn’t try to look good on paper, he tried to look good as a person. He only put activities that mattered to him rather than purging on paper.</p>
<p>Okay thanks for the advise for the second person who posted after me. First I never said I was putting all my hope in this and I will hope that I may have a chance of receiving this scholarship, so I will try. Y best to be encouraging to myself, other people on here, and my friends</p>
<p>Don’t be discouraged by someone else’s negative/experience. You may get the scholarship & you may not, but you will never know either way unless you try. Also, I think it’s smart of you to not put all your hopes into this one scholarship, just like you shouldn’t put all your hopes into one school. Good luck</p>
<p>Thanks and I wish everyone good luck to and hopefully when can talk and help each other thought this last year of high school.</p>
<p>Wow, im impressed that you have all started so soon on scholarship research. Good job. You already have a leg up on ur “competitors”</p>
<p>I’m a 2013 GAtes scholar, Nordstrom, a few other scholarships and awards and will be attending ucla.</p>
<p>If anyone has any questions about anything feel free to ask me. </p>
<p>senior year can be your toughest year dependign on how far you wanna go.</p>
<p>And BEWARE of ppl posting their “millions of hours” of community service, president of tousands of clubs, and 6.82 GPA’s (i know thats an exageration). They will cause you to feel outmatched/outgunned and no way you can beat them, that you are waisting ur time. </p>
<p>I had that exact feeling and still managed to be successful in both recieving scholarships and college attendence. </p>
<p>NEVER GIVE UP!!! </p>
<p>There is always HOPE for you !!!</p>
<p>Have FAITH in yourself !!!</p>
<p>Everyone has a chance. I would tell anyone that is pell grant eligible and has the qualifying GPA to give it a shot.</p>
<p>My son received the scholarship, and we felt he didn’t look strong on paper. His senior year was a struggle. Two days into football he separated his shoulder, he had to go through coaching turnover which caused him to lose his mentor since 7th grade. We had a new church leader to adapt to and to be perfectly honest - he just had a crappy year. The essays focused on perseverance and believability as a person and leader. Remember that your ethnic peers are reading your essays and are not looking for a fluffed up essay.<br>
Don’t have more than 2 people edit your essay.</p>
<p>OP: Working for a few years after H.S. use to be the way the poor went to college, and I still think it’s the best way (other than scholarships). Save your money, establish residency and go to a good state college. When you do graduate, having real work experience will be a big plus. GL</p>
<p>The scholarship application opened up online! Good luck to everyone</p>