digitalrebel

I've only filled out parts of the applications that I could fill out. I printed the questions and will start brainstorming and writing them by January.

I noticed that I needed a nominator and a recommender... can I use only one person or do I need two?

DBUBound

I've recently completed the Gates Scholarship Application. It took about a month and a half, but I finally got it finished. Hopefully I get the scholarship.

NYSP2010

@Digitalrebel: According to the website's FAQ and what I rememebr, you could use one person if they know you well enough to fill out both forms. But I'd say you wanna make sure that person knows you both academically and extracurricularly.

CHOSENED

SRy for the late reply, Thank you!

skhaer

I'm applying as well! I'm from India, but technically that falls under Asian which isn't always adventageous, I'd rather have my own category.

Nikkor50mm

Not sure if you live in the India or the US, but just a FYI - you have to be a US citizen to get the scholarship.

Donnio

Hello, I'm a GMS class of 2010 and I just wanted to add:

- community service is a very important to have when applying
- some of my essays
- You don't have to be a PACIFIC Islander only. All Asians are included such as Indians, Cambodians, Phillipinos, Vietnamese, Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, etc. As long as you're a minority = not white.
- My recommender/ nominator was one person. It was my teacher from 9th grade who knows my leadership qualities really well.
- This is for seniors and the deadline is January every year.
- The scholarship is very competitive. Everyone I met at the conference was either at the top of their class or close to it.

Donnio

Also, just adding that my shortest response was 122 words and longest was 559 words (like a regular personal statement).

But the quality of my responses were focused on showing my leadership abilities, my compassion, dedication and family history (what drives me).

DomonicP

I don't think its quite simple as it seems.. Need a hard preparation to write in 7800 characters...

NYSP2010

Quality over quantity. If you can be concise and write it in just a few hundred words and show great character, then great. But it's hard to be that concise yet also get your point across. So just make sure if you write short, it's good quality.

Also, though it's a very competitive scholarship, I think the focus is much more on community service and leadership than GPA. Of course, it is good to have a high GPA/that helps, but I have heard of a few scholars that aren't top top top GPA.

borkborkbork

If you've always been an A student (~4.0 GPA), but senior year you have like half A's/half B's for six classes, would that significantly reduce your chances?

journey2success

borkborkbork, not at all! they won't even see your transcript until you become a finalist (when you report your senior year courses on the app, you'll just put NR [not reported] because most of the classes you're currently taking are full year, right?)

much consideration is given to community service and leadership, the two aspects of the application you should spend the MOST amount of time on. make sure that you really emphasize through your essays your service and leadership experiences, even if don't have much. but still, it's always quality over quantity.

borkborkbork

^ Oh. Thank God. You just made my day. I've always been a 94+ avg (uw) student but this year... I'm likely to get an 85-87. I feel that I'll be fine as long as I get the gist of all the material this year, get 5's on my AP's, and then study over the summer to refresh the material.

Yumi696

Hi, I was just wondering... for nominator/recommender... how does that process work? Do I ask them to do it, they go on gmsp, and make their own account? I'm so confused...

NYSP2010

If I remember correctly, you give them your number as an applicant, and then they use that number and log onto gmsp and put in your number to link their form with you. I believe that they'd have to make an account then.