Senior Gautam Ray is one of 150 students selected from an initial pool of 103,000+ applicants from across the country for a scholarship that honors superior leadership, service, and academics. The Coca-Cola Scholarship can be applied to undergraduate or graduate school. Read more about his path to this extremely competitive award and his college plans in this Q&A.
Have you chosen your college to attend?
I have applied to several colleges, particularly those in the Northeast and the West Coast, and most of those decisions come out in the next month or so. I have received a few public school decisions. I am unsure which overall colleges I will be accepted to and which I will attend.
Could you give a few details about applying for the Coca-Cola Scholarship?
The application process consisted of three steps. The first round, the “semifinalist” round, had applicants complete a resume-like application of one’s activities, community service, and awards—without essays, recommendation letters, ACT scores, or grades. It narrowed down 103,000+ applicants to 1,500 semifinalists through a point system.
The second round, the “regional finalist” round, made applicants complete a traditional college-like application, with three essays, three short answer questions, recommendation letters, grades, activities, awards, and test scores. The essays dealt with various topics, from my MIT research experience to classes I’d like to start at my college. The Coca-Cola Scholarship Committee selected 250 out of the 1,500 semifinalists to become regional finalists.
The final round, the “scholars” round, consisted of a committee interview, where three to four members of the Coke Scholars Committee, including past scholars, simultaneously interviewed me about my application. My interviewers included a chef (as I had talked about my personal interest in cooking within the essays), a 2004 Scholar, and a leader at the committee. It narrowed down the 250 Regional Finalists to 150 Scholars, with three scholars hailing from Mississippi.
What does the Coca-Cola Scholarship provide?
The award’s main benefit is a $20,000 Scholarship that can be utilized for any accredited four-year university. The scholarship can be extended and used past one’s undergraduate degree for up to 10 years, if one wanted to save it to pay for medical school, law school, or some form of graduate school. In addition to the scholarship, I—alongside the other recipients—will attend the 2024 Coca-Cola Scholarship Convention in Atlanta during late April, where I’ll attend various leadership institutes, receive my award, and participate in a group community service project.
Have you chosen your potential major?
I have applied to most of my colleges as a biochemistry/chemical biology major. I have been interested in that specific degree since my sophomore year, when I concurrently took AP Biology and Honors Chemistry. JA’s science courses majorly influenced my choice to apply as a biochemistry major, alongside my high school research from last summer through MIT’s Research Science Institute.
About the scholarship program
A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca‑Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. In addition to receiving college scholarships, students selected will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing Coke Scholars family that has become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Through networking, collaborations, and friendships, the group strives to make a greater impact together. Initiatives include a podcast called The SIP and the sixth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned Scholars with first-year Scholars as they transition to college. Every 5 years, all alumni are invited to a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit.
To read more about the Coca-Cola Scholarship, visit this link.
