<p>@Martinez64 I don’t think your parents education matters much. My parents are college graduates and i got the scholarship. </p>
<p>Congratulations to all the scholars! 
i haven’t received my packet, so I can’t refer to the guide. So should I accept the financial aid of my college, or what?</p>
<p>@Aggs533 Of course that’s not the case for everyone, but it’s common it and happened to people at my school. I even got confirmation from certain financial aid offices about the scholarship committee selecting first generation college students. </p>
<p>Hey guys! Gates scholar here as well! Congrats everyone!</p>
<p>Gates Millennium Scholar from Guam!!! Ahhhh!!! So happy and blessed!!!</p>
<p>@garshlick, yes, you should accept all institution aid regardless if your a scholar or not.</p>
<p>Congratulations everyone!</p>
<p>Scholars are already being featured in the news section of google. I love reading the background of the scholars. What an honor. </p>
<p>It’s just my opinion but I believe it may be similar to college admissions in that there often seems there is no normal, expected, or predictive way to understand why one candidate gets in and another does not. I think its fair to say that not just one single individual sifted through all 57,000 applicants and although there may be some guideline perimeters provided, there is also probably some individual latitude that each accessor brings to the process. It is a great honor to be a finalist and you should all be proud. It’s one way to go to college but there are many more ways to make it happen. Both of my parents worked full time jobs while going to college because it was the ONLY way they could.</p>
<p>I’m a community volunteer who helps high school seniors with their college admission and scholarship applications. My high school had 17 Gates candidates, 6 finalists, and 3 Scholars. Naturally, the “silver medalists” were disappointed, but winning a Gates is not the only pathway. One of the non-Scholar finalists has put together an aid package totaling over $20,000 a year by applying for other awards. Keep applying, even for the local ones that offer “only” a few hundred dollars. Every dollar you are granted is one less dollar you might have to borrow.</p>
<p>I have a question,
If you didn’t get accepted into the school you want to go to, can you attend a community college and then transfer to a 4 year if you are a Gates Scholar, or do you have to go straight to a 4 year? </p>
<p>@kaikai23 one of the requirements to become a Gates Scholar is that you have to attend a four-year university the in the fall of the year you are given the award. So I think the answer is NO.</p>
<p>When you guys call the auto voice mail, do you get that all five documents were received? Mine says that only two were received. </p>
<p>Question: Does Gates cover the transportation costs to the college even if it’s just a 10 hour drive? I’m from LA looking to travel to San Francisco by car so I’m not sure if Gates will cover the gas and car?</p>
<p>@NeverTooLate18 mine says 5 documents. Are you a scholar?</p>
<p>@emjkitty I’m not sure. That’s a really good question because I need transportation to and from college too.</p>
<p>I am seeing a lot of ?? as to what Gates will or will not pay for. My experience with this subject is that my Son is a Gates Scholar from last year. He attends UC Davis and his EFC is $2135.00. Gates has not paid for anything other than residual after University Grants and Scholarships. So he does not get money for transportation, laptops, clothing, entertainment ect… The only thing that the Gates has helped avoid is that my Son will not have to get loans for his schooling. I am not saying that I am not grateful for the Gates, but my Son has reached a point that in order to be involved in his frat and have the social scene that comes with that whole arena, he is going to have to get a job to earn some cash.
I hope this helps at least some of you out. </p>
<p>Same here. Our EFC is 2818. Gates has afforded my son the opportunity to go to a private school, but it is not FREE…and he is in the same situation. I’ve told him either he needs to be frugal with the $$ he does have or he has to work. Those are his choices. The misconception is that GMS is a FREE ride for everyone and that is not the case. Students still have to be vested in their education. It hurts more if you don’t pass when a little is coming out of your pocket.</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions but I have one more: </p>
<p>When accepting financial aid offers…do we accept the work study? </p>
<p>Did anybody sign up to be the GMS ambassador? Just wondering ;
</p>