thats what they told me too. But it's not true. You get it for the rest of the year and the following year. I'm assuming it's the same for gold but I don't know first hand. As the post above said for gold just get an Amex plat and you will instantly have gold.
About the elite expiration, we'd like to inform you that the Elite Status Challenge entitles you to one full year of elite status, from one renewal period to the next (i.e. the end of February one year to the end of February the next year) and only carries over if you are upgraded on or after March 1st (whereas earning status naturally* gives elite status for the remainder of the current year, carries over for the entirety of the following year, and expires at the end of February in the third year). Therefore if a member is upgraded via the challenge on or before February 28th, 2017 they retain status until February 28th, 2018, the following year. If they are upgraded on or after March 1st, 2017 they retain status for the remainder of the year, all of 2018, up until February 29th, 2019.