National society of high school scholars

[cheek58]

> If you have to ask if it is a scam . . . . it is a scam.

> If someone vigorously defends the non-scam position . . . it is a scam

> If someone visits this blog repeatedly and defends the scam . . . . it is most definitely a scam and the defender works for the scammer

> If the defender, that's you Esquette, replies to my post . . . . it is most definitely and most assuredly a scam

[MGiselle92]

hahaha this is hilarious. but thanks so much for everyones help! just recieved this in the mail and was looking for an explanation. the last thing i need is to waste more time filling out things that are (useless?!) for college applications.

[ReachForDreams]

I just got my "invitation"....I've gotten so many that it's pathetic. All it shows colleges is that you have money. If you have enough to waste on this stuff then college's will think you have enough that you won't need financial aid.

[jackief]

I received a postcard announcing my "outstanding academic achievement has qualified me for membership." I graduated from high school over 25 years ago!

I am waiting for my invitation which I am expecting any day now!

[fauve]

Congrats..you can enjoy the monogrammed $50.00 mug with your Metamucil!

[jackief]

I get a mug?? I can hardly wait! I will have you know that I am not yet a member of AARP!

[owlice]

It's now $60 if postmarked by April 30th, after which you need to add an additional $5. In addition to the certificate and press release, you get a "graduation honor cord." You can order a "graduation honor medallion" ($15), Society t-shirt ($15), hooded sweatshirt ($35), graduation honor stole -- heh heh, "stole" ($15), Society insignia patch ($7), a stuffed lion official mascot ($13), and pay the $7 shipping/handling charge for all ordered member items.

I wonder what would happen if I crossed off my kid's name and listed a 1.2 GPA?

Oh, wait... I think I don't need to wonder about that....

The kid has been ignoring mail from tons of places (U Penn! NYU! Harvey Mudd! etc. and so on!), but this one... this one, he opened. And... handed off to me.

Now I'm off to make my more cynical kid even more cynical. Oog!

[writerchick123]

Ok, I recently received a post card from the NSHSS stating I was "nominated" to be a part of this "elite" society. I naturally was curious and hit up my trusty pal, Google for some insight. My findings in a nutshell; the society is indeed not a scam...well, it technically, get out the magnifying glass and read the fine print- isn't a scam. Allow me to clarify. A scam refers to a business dealing in which the consumer (or in this particular instance, the unsuspecting student/ proud parent) invests capital in X product/service and never sees X product or reaps the benefits of X service. When you mail your $45 "membership" fee, the harsh reality is that NSHSS is sending you exactly what you paid for (your certificate/ t-shirt/mug, whatever it might be). The deception, imo, comes into play when exclusivity is discussed. A 3.5 GPA, huh? Well, let me assure you, I know many a C students who have managed to, thanks to a generous weighting system, elevate their sub-par average into the B range. NSHSS fails to specify their academic requirement. "But can I sue, take legal action?" Nah, my mom's a lawyer- I asked her the same question. Unless the business stops distributing ordered and payed for mammogramed diaper bags, they, decievers they may be, are in the clear, from a legal standpoint. Stick to the tried and trusted (and, I might add, actually prestigious), the National Honor Society, for instance.

[Smoose]

okay im really curious to know about these fee waiver things cuz im thinking why not? if it offers a fee waiver why not just do it for the kicks?

[chocobok]

I hate these kinds of things, and have been getting a lot of them lately in the mail. They come with these nice letters and supposedely prestigous reputations, and they are scams.
These kinds of companies, even if they are "legal" are preying on unsuspecting high school kids and parents. Basically, they are using our academic success against us.
First thing I though when I opened the letter...Finally!...I'm getting some recognition. That is, until I saw the $60 application fee and went on the internet to check it out. Shame on them.

[onevoice]

Review of The National Society of High School Scholars in Atlanta, GA - Education, Philanthropy, Research Foundation - BBB Reliability Report

Here's a reliability check. I'm still skeptical about the whole thing though.

[harmony16]

This may or may not be a scam, but NHS is not a scam. The National Honor Society (NHS), if administered properly requires documentation of substantial academic achievement, service, leadership and character. It then requires monthly service on the part of it's members. This program has been around for years and since membership is truly earned, it should be respected.

[krug]

Nat'l Society of HS Scholars

We got 2 of these invitations to join last week, one for our 10th grader, one for our 12th. Our senior already got into the colleges so nothing gains there, in fact it's a little late since she will be graduating in 6 weeks! I do think it's a SCAM and the lure of a scholarship is just that, a lure....

[jdjaguar]

NSHSS is not a scam. It may not provide much in the way of a boost, but it is not a scam.

S and I went up to Atlanta for a NSHSS meeting/ college workshop and it was quite impressive.

The college recruiters from the likes of Duke, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Emory, Georgetown etc etc were there w/ information desks on their prospective schools.

Even more impressive was that it dovetailed w/ the SEC Football Championship, so we cut out early and caught a great game!

Above all, you receive a nifty sticker for your bumper AND your window!

[caveat emptor]

The NSHSS annual report for 2007 is posted at their website http://www.nshss.org/NSHSS_2007_Annual_Report.pdf . On page three it says that by 2007 they had

Membership
Inducted 101,766 new members, bringing total
membership to 345,492 representing over 20,000 high
schools in 180 countries.

Scholarships
Awarded scholarships totaling $142,448, including
$114,000 in academic scholarships and $28,448 in
partner educational and travel program scholarships.
Awarded $215,595 in full and partial membership fee
waivers to more than 5,906 underprivileged scholars.

While I am not a mathematics scholar, it appears to me that the 345,000 members would have paid $1,500,000 in membership fees (based upon the former $45 joining fee). This extremely stingy organization has returned only $142,488 to students in scholarship monies. Congratulations to the few students who have received scholarships, but a less than 10% disbursement rate is appalling for any organization. Someone's pockets are getting a golden lining. These odds are slightly better than Las Vegas or Atlantic City.