I was sent a letter for the "Congress of Future Medical Leaders" saying I had been nominated for an award. Real or Fake?Answered
Is it a real program, or a scam?
Hi! I've gotten about ten of these "invitations" from various "prestigious organizations" since I asked about this letter. In my experience, they're all similar; pay them money, and they give you a "leg up" in college admissions because they want to "award you for your academic success". Notice the quotations I've put :) I've talked to various professors in the past few months, and they've all given me similar advice; if you're paying for an honor, it's not as legit as you'd expect. Be wary!
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4 answers
This is not a real award but an invitation to join a significant number of pre-selected high school students to join a pseudo society.
Joining these organizations will not impress college admissions officers at top schools. Being a member will not replace having a level 1 or 2 or 3 Extracurricular activity or a legitimate honor like being nominated for the US Presidential Scholars award or winning the Coca Cola Scholarship. This will not help you get into college and contrary to what the other respondent wrote, college do not "eat these up".
If would be a better use of time to use the money saved and apply to something that will improve your data points on your college application. For instance, getting some good ACT or SAT test prep help, or taking an online college class at T100 college to boost your course rigor.
The criteria medical schools use to admit future doctors into an MD program after your undergraduate studies or a BS/MD program right out o HS have nothing to do with the collection of these credentials.
Good luck.
From what I know, it's not a scam, per say, but it's certainly not a program that will help you too much in the college admissions process. It's just another expensive "pay to play" program that cost thousands of $$$ do enter and profits off of the craziness that is the college admissions scene. If you really care about the med field, maybe go, and maybe you'll really like it. But any event/program/opportunity that has to literally reach out TO YOU to tell you to do it probably isn't that amazing. Since anyone can do this thing, it won't be something that'll improve your admissions chances. Hope that helps :)
My daughter received this letter too. We requested the financial aid forms & haven't heard back. (Tuition this year is almost $1300 + $550 if you want the chance to earn 3 possibly transferable credits. Plus you have to provide your own transportation, food & lodging. So if it's just the student & 1 adult you could be looking at over $3k.)
Then I found this article & that capped it for us. Definitely not worth out time or money.
latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20160129-column.html
This is a real organization, but it's kind of like national society for high scholars, it's a real recognized organization just not on the same level as NHS and what not. Id say to join just because colleges eat this kind of stuff up.
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Hi, I got one just these in the mail today and was wondering if you ever went to know if it was actually legit or just another scam. I'm getting so many people talking to me, it's hard to know what's real and fake anymore. Thanks!