<p>Hey y’all, </p>
<p>Just took a Google on a whim that I might come across a thread like this. </p>
<p>MY PTK advisor emailed me Thursday afternoon asking me to phone him ASAP. When I got around to doing so on Friday morning, he told me he’d recieved notification via email that I was a JCK award recipient! First one ever from my 2-year community college! He said to expect an email from JCK on or around the 4th as my official, direct notification.</p>
<p>A little about me:
Currently in College Station, TX</p>
<p>4.0 GPA with 63 hours. </p>
<p>Have been accepted to Texas A&M and Sam Houston State. Seeking a B.A. in Poli Sci degree with the intention to go to law school afterwards.</p>
<p>EFC was $0. </p>
<p>I’ve been a single mom since I was 16. My own academic amibitions took a detour at that point, but got both of my kiddos in school 2 years ago and was finally able to commence my college career. I’ve worked 7 nights a week for nearly 10 years to support my little people. Still, we live in a government subsidized housing complex, on Food Stamps and state-funded healthcare. </p>
<p>It’s been a tough road especially with the great state of Texas completely slashing state aid programs for the upcoming school year, which equated to about a $5500/yr loss in grant aid in my case. Left me wondering how I’d pay for school next year. There are not enough hours in the day to take on a second job, etc. But as my advisor said when he delivered the good news, “You don’t have to worry about that anymore, I think we found the funds for ya.” Talk about life changing!</p>
<p>I’m so excited. Can’t wait to meet you two who’ve already been notified when we all go to accept our awards in August. Hopefully several more of y’all who are still anxiously waiting to hear something will also join us.</p>
<p>Congrats and good luck!</p>
<p>Congratulations NerdMomTex, that’s wonderful! I hope several of us will be joining you three at the awards ceremony…</p>
<p>If JKC reps were notified on Thursday afternoon, my wife and I are definitely still in the running since our scholarship office closes on Thursday at 1:30 PM, remains closed Friday, and opens again on Monday. As stated before, I’m sure others here have scholarship departments with like hours. </p>
<p>As for you three who’ve already been notified, send some good thoughts our way…please…</p>
<p>wow congrats nerdmom! </p>
<hr>
<p>I wondering though if any of you all are in a similar situation, if so what are you doing –> I got accepted so far into a couple great schools, but I wont hear back from my top choices until June. However, the security deposits for the other schools are due May 15th! I’ve requested an extension, but I haven’t heard back yet. It’s looking like I will need to choose my “back-up” and fork over that hefty non-refundable fee just in case… if anyone is having ‘deposit deadline’ woes like this - have you been able to get an extension?</p>
<p>Hi Katiemay. I was able to get an extension from Penn State until May 15th. I was worried too because I can only afford them If I get this scholarship. She also said that she could help defer my acceptance so I can still go there next year with in-state tuition. I think most colleges will try to work with you. I am trying to keep my fingers crossed that I will not have to take a year off though.</p>
<p>I was also curious about this. I need to submit my decision (and pay the enrollment fee) by the 15th, but i don’t get my financial aid award until june 1. I will only attend a) if i get this scholarship, which is doubtful, or b) if they give me a full-ride, also doubtful. Can I accept to two colleges? Like UCLA and this expensive one? or will that bring about some negative consequences. Also, I just finished my Northwestern app today, and I won’t be hearing back from them for a while. So the short question is: Are we allowed to accept more than one college?</p>
<p>No, I don’t think you can accept two schools at once. You can, however, accept one school, and then rescind your decision if one of your top-choices says yes. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get your deposit back. I was forced to give up $400 to one school because it’s reply deadline was today, when my top-choices do not send out admissions decisions until mid-May. I didn’t try to ask for an extension… maybe I should have? Too late now I guess.:(</p>
<p>I’m trying to pull together the money, just in case… I figure it’s better to save my spot at one of the other schools but aahgh! so much money that I don’t have! @harmontm thanks, i guess ill make the goal this week be contacting the appropriate person to see if they will extend the date… @heyitslisa -im worried about the financial aid award too, I’d hate to accept the offer of the one who’s going to give me less aid!! It’d be sooo much easier if they’d send the FA award along with the acceptance letter so you know EXACTLY what you’re signing on to.</p>
<p>actually, it’d be so much easier if we all just won the JKCF scholarship ;)</p>
<p><em>I’m assuming it’s everyone’s finals week?!? good luck with exams (and other things lol)!!!</em></p>
<p>yea, i really don’t know what to do at this point. UC’s need my decision by June 1. i’m getting my financial aid award notice june 1 for rice. 
if i end up having to go to UCLA i need to apply for housing by the 1st, too. sooo…i guess just accept UCLA and try to get an extension from rice…?</p>
<p>I’m assuming rice is a ton more expensive? It’s hard to say, some super pricey schools give out money a lot easier than others even less expensive… I’d try for the extension, doesn’t hurt right?! if you go ahead and secure your spot with UC, at least you won’t be without college though… which has been my fear, but who has 300-600$ to throw down on a security deposit, twice?! ok, yea, we need extensions!</p>
<p>I understand everyone’s problem. I’m running into the same thing here. I’m stressing out a lot about housing options and financial aid letters and moving because I’ve never lived away from home. Now I know I got the scholarship(which I never expected!!) I applied to the University of Hawaii at both Hilo and Manoa to study marine biology (I was born in Hawaii, what a way to return). Oh yeah I live in El Paso, TX now since '99. Anyway I wont hear back from them till I’m sure mid may, I have a 4.0 GPA and they aren’t too terribly competitive, so I’m sure it’ll be yes…but it’s still making me nervous. </p>
<p>All this news has come so fast, I almost can’t process it. I’m the first from my school to receive the award, they’ve been nominating students for at least 10 years now. My parents are freaking out, my friends are freaking out, I’m on night 3 of celebration and I still have to remind myself what happened. </p>
<p>I can’t wait to meet you two and anyone else in August. Let’s exchange information and names so we can find each other. I’m going to post a short profile here soon. I can’t concentrate on anything for more then 5 minutes ever since hearing about the scholarship.</p>
<p>What strikes me when reading back through all these posts is that y’all knew you’d been nominated by your school. No one ever told me I’d been nominated at the campus level, so getting the news was definitely like being doubly blindsided in the most desirable way possible. </p>
<p>Shred, we should definitely be in touch. I see you’re from Texas, too. Don’t fault you at all for applying some place exotic now that you’ve got the means to do so. The two people I’ve told so far have both been fantasically excited, though in their words “not surprised.” Haven’t been any celebrations here, but that’s more because I’m old and might break a hip if I were to jump up and down. I’m excited in my head and in my heart, though!</p>
<p>Sending good vibes to those of you who are hoping to hear something definitive today!</p>
<p>I just recieved a call from my school. The President of my school wants to meet with me on wednesday by 2pm. When I asked the lady who called me what it was about she said it was based on my academics, that i should not worry its a good thing… I cant concentrate any more, waiting for wednesday to come… Could this mean anything? Oh My God!</p>
<p>I am pretty sure it is a no for me. We had officer induction today. I was an outgoing officer, and my JKC rep did not say anything. Last week he said he had not heard anything, but I was secretly hoping he would surprise me today. I do not know what to do because now I cannot afford the colleges I have been accepted to. Oos tuition is so expensive. I can’t afford to take out a loan to cover it because if we have a medical emergency with our daughter, the loan could cause problems, and I can’t fall back on in-state colleges since we have to move. Does anyone have any advice? I have been crying on and off because I really do not want to take time off. Please, any advice would help. Congratulations to everyone who did get it. Judging from what I have seen on here, you will make JKC proud.</p>
<p>I’m really sorry to hear that, harmontm
you’ve already received your financial aid award offers and know for sure it’s too expensive?</p>
<p>I didn’t get it either, but I know you need it a lot more than I do. You’ll be in my prayers.</p>
<p>In state tuition at PSU a year from now sounds like a promising option…That’s worth a lot of money…though I am still sorry if it means putting the dream on hold for now…best of luck Harmon. We’ll be thinking of you.</p>
<p>nerdmom, I actually didn’t know I was nominated either. I kinda just let it slide because I didn’t want to get excited about anything. It’s good to know that darn long application paid off. </p>
<p>A little about me:</p>
<p>I’m 22 years old, female. My major is in biology and in my application I indicated that my passion is the conservation and protection of endangered species, primarily of the marine environment. I also detailed my volunteer work at the local zoo here in El Paso, and also at my local animal rescue shelter. </p>
<p>I talked about where I was born, Hawaii. I also wrote a short paragraph on animal testing and public education. I talked about where I see myself in the future, how I hope to impact others around me to preserve the environment and the species around us.
My gpa is 4.0, and I have no honors credits and am not involved in any school clubs because due to my volunteer work, I’m left with no time. That combined with my job as a waitress is overwhelming enough every semester. I was surprised I recieved the scholarship because I always felt like, stacked against all of you, I had little to show for except my volunteer hours, passion for my field, and good gpa. </p>
<p>I agree with the slashing of grant money in texas…last year I was approved for at least 2000 in grant money…this year is a measly 700 bucks! I’m just a student still living at home paying my car, cell phone, all expenses except rent for myself on a waitress salary. No way in hell could I afford marine biology study in Hawaii.
Thanks JKC, it’s going to be put to good use.</p>
<p>Congratulations, NerdMomTx. I can imagine how hard it is being a single mom at 16. Congrats on your job. I am so happy I got it too!!! I found out last Friday during a special event. Thank God! Thank God! Thank God!</p>
<p>He is my all in all!!! I got the scholarship. But I want to let all those who didn’t get it, that this does not mean that you haven’t done ur best or that you don’t deserve it. As someone said on this thread, while the review is as objective as possible, you have to realize that those who review it are human and still subjective. Don’t make this undermine how much you believe in your ability to make a difference or become great. I sang a song, “Who Says” by Selena Gomez once, and trust me a denial does not determine your worth. There’s something else even greater just for you out there. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep believing and keep being your best. This opportunity open doors for me; it doesn’t make me; it simply helps me! Good luck on this journey called life.</p>
<p>I have great news-- I found out today that I am a JKC Scholar! ILuvGod-- you definitely got it! The same thing happened to me. My College President scheduled a meeting regarding graduation and in the meeting, she said that graduation would be different this year because we will have our first Jack Kent Cooke Scholar graduating!</p>
<p>Congrats to all of you that received it already. There is a private group on Facebook for JKC scholars so be sure to request to join. It will come up when you search. I look forward to meeting all of you during JKC Scholars weekend!</p>
<p>For all you that haven’t heard anything— DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE PRIZE… you never know until you know… Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Congrats to all that won!! I contacted my advisor today and she said she had not heard anything I think that says it all. I was glad to have this group to share it with. I’d wake up and check it every morning. Good luck to all of you!!</p>