National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists:
I am retired college adviser, admissions and scholarship committee chair, and departmental administrator who now coaches high school juniors and seniors in college selection and admission. I am also a parent of a high school junior. I expect kids who go to the June Congress run by this organization will have a great time but if resources are tight should you spend the money? My assessment is that this program won’t be a big plus for admissions committees.
Here are my reasons:
- Is it a legitimate program?
a) It is a new venture, founded in November 2014.
b) It has absolutely NO TRACK RECORD of success.
c) Who is behind it? It is a FOR PROFIT Educational company founded by Richard Rossi who is well known for his burgeoning stable of for profit educational companies that make lots of money from high school students and their families. He is behind: National Young Leaders Conference, NYLC see: http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/is-national-young-leaders-conference-a-scam/ ; National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists, Congressional Youth Leadership Council, and many others. He’s been at this marketing to aspiring college students for 26 years.
d) Since the organization has no track record, let’s look at the founder’s track record. See Envision, EMI LLC, in particular THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST another one of his for profit companies that he ran until 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Envision_EMI - There are luminaries involved so it must be legitimate, right?
a) They are invited.
b) They will speak. Have you ever been to an event with an august figure and come away wondering how many times she’s given that talk? I envision a speaker dusting off one of their rubber chicken lunch talks, previously given, many times, to many organizations across the country.
c) Are these speakers doing it because they believe in the program? I don’t know. You’d have to contact them. My best guess is that the speakers will be paid. So it doesn’t sound like they’re receiving a fee for service, they’ll likely get an “honorarium” which is a nice word given to describe a payment in an educational institution for a speaking gig.
d) How much contact can you have with these figures in 3 days if there are, say, 500 participants? Very little, I imagine. - Students – with the means – will attend?
Yes. - Connections with peers will be forged?
Yes. - Inspirational?
Likely. But so are TED talks and there’s no $1500 charge or airfare to pay. - Scholarships?
a) Yes, as I read it, some scholarships are available.
b) Will they cover the full cost? No. They will cover up to one half of the cost of the “Congress” and will be granted on the basis of need. So, even if your income is limited, you’ll still have to pay $750 for a 3-day event as well as any transportation expenses to get to and from Boston. - What can you tell about the organization from the address?
a) It is NOT offered at or sponsored by HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
b) In my opinion, the materials intentionally misrepresent this organization as prestigious and academically sponsored. It is, in fact, a PRIVATELY HELD, FOR PROFIT education company.
c) The address is on Harvard Square (as in the Square NEXT TO Harvard University. No one – except marketing companies – refer to Harvard Square as Harvard University Square. And, to provide evidence of the marketing angle, there is a Harvard University Square website designed by marketers that advertises hotels, restaurants, and shops.
d) And unless Au Bon Pain is doing cutting edge genomics research while their croissants rise, the neighborhood is definitely not a Silicon Valley, a medical alley, or a hub known for science and technology.
e) Most damning in my estimation is that the building address given for the “National Academy of Future Science and Technology Leaders”, 1 Mifflin Place offers, and I quote from the building’s website:
"Virtual Office packages From $89.00, Count on Regus to make your first impressions count. A business address in the right place and a local contact number answered in your company name can make all the difference in business. Our professional teams will manage your calls and handle your mail."
f) Now, yes, there may be a Suite 400 in that building (the full address is: Harvard Square, 1 Mifflin Place Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02138) that isn't a Virtual Office but the building seems like a rather suspect address for a rigorous, vibrant academic program devoted to developing future scientists and technologists, don't you think?
- How will participation in the “Congress” be viewed by colleges?
a) No track record means that colleges aren’t going to esteem students from these programs any more highly than their peers with similar GPAs.
b) Admissions staff know about Richard Rossi’s for-profit educational programs (again see the EMI Wikipedia article, especially the section on litigation).
c) They – like we who are trying to figure out if this is a legitimate program worth investing in for our kids – will only have what they know historically about Rossi’s programs (not positive) and what they can figure out from the web to go on. - Worth $1500? It’s up to you.
If it comes down to: will it make a difference to an admissions committee? I don’t think so. My 20 minutes of research confirms that I won’t be sending my kid. The best part of this “award” may be the reproduction of Buzz Aldrin’s signature on snazzy stationary.