<p>They just want your money</p>
<p>People to People, LeadAmerica, Presidential Classroom, etc. are all bs. Please, don't waste $2000 on them, get a job or intern somewhere.</p>
<p>The only summer programs I would do would be at a college. I can't imagine paying to do something over the summer.</p>
<p>yep. its sad because so many people pay $$$$$$$ thinking they're getting a great experience, but it's not.</p>
<p>I know. The greatest summer experiences I've had were internships, one was free and one I got paid for. So what do they do during these "summer programs" anyway?</p>
<p>Why are they a scam?</p>
<p>they do simulations, and visit different places in D.C</p>
<p>Anytime you pay to volunteer, it is a scam. Your only expenses should be transportation and minimal room and board. I know my mom looked into some volunteer programs for herself and they cost MORE that if she booked a 2 week European trip through a travel agency staying at a nice hotel. No kidding.</p>
<p>That doesn't sound so interesting, especially for what you'd be paying.</p>
<p>I did a program at Columbia two years ago and I think it was a bit of a scam, but I did that more for experience than prestige (which it didn't have to begin with, but you get it). At my summer program we had a certain study focus, lived in the suites... blahblah. Basically, it was RAs babysitting spoiled (albeit nice) kids for three weeks in New York City.</p>
<p>For the most part I'd advise anyone from college programs unless it had selectivity and wasn't costly or was even <em>free.</em> If you have the money though and you could care less, go for it.</p>
<p>Despite all that my favorite summer experience so far was a paid internship.</p>
<p>Landmark Volunteers isn't that bad. You pay around $700 for three weeks and get to do some real fufilling work.</p>
<p>NSLC was a HUGE scam. All we did was tour D.C. Definitely a waste of a summer. Thankfully I was a Senate Page so my summer wasn't a complete disaster.</p>
<p>And I must say People to People is fun (according to my sister), but it's still a joke.</p>
<p>Two years ago when trying to find a study abroad/volunteer program, I ran in to the same problems. Due to financial reasons, I studied abroad for two summers on my own w/o the aid of an organization. You can read about my story, non-profit organization and the group tour I am organizing by visiting my website: <a href="http://www.toguatemalawithlove.org%5B/url%5D">www.toguatemalawithlove.org</a></p>
<p>For a mere $200 a week, you get room & board with a local Guatemalan family, 5 hours of private Spanish instruction per day and will teach English to children age 6-12 at a school for poor Guatemalan children. If teaching English isn't your thing, I can arrange for other volunteer opportunites.</p>
<p>pyroclastic--if you liked Landmark Volunteers you should definitely check out Student Conservation Associaton (SCA). i did it this summer and LOVED it. you spend ~~4 weeks doing volunteer work outdoors and its a small group of people from all over the country. and its FREE. my group was six of us HS kids and 2 crew leaders doing trail work in the mountains and clearing some brush and some painting. i looked into Landmark until i found SCA. all u have to pay for is transportation and the gear, and some spending money. although the more "remote" crews dont have much interaction outside of their crew. some crews are located several miles from a town or even a public road. others are close to towns and the crew visits them once a week or so. anyways, check it out if u are interested. <a href="http://www.thesca.org%5B/url%5D">www.thesca.org</a></p>
<p>Emory's Youth Theological Intiative is not a scam and it's free.</p>
<p>Disagree. CTY was hugely useful to me, though CTY Civic Leadership pay-to-volunteer might be a scam, I don't know, I didn't go to it.</p>
<p>NSLC is no scam if you know how to take advantage of it, we shadowed Congressmen while in session, had coffee with John Kerry, I landed a summer job after that at the State House in Boston, we met Condee and I met the best friends of my life.</p>
<p>NSLC was an extraordinary experience grant it you (A) take advantage of all there is to offer and all oppurtunities, not just party, tour, and go to the mandatory. Plus, it helps if you actually apply for the scholarships and seek financial aid, mine was nearly free.</p>
<p>I have multiple friends who went on these "scam" programs and all of them said they were really fun and most of them said that if they could do it again or do another one, they would. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, the rest of us can't afford them. I don't think they're necessarily scams; it could be a good experience but you just don't get your money's worth.</p>
<p>that and people think colleges look favorably upon those "programs"</p>
<p>its just rich people shelling out $$$ hoping their kids will gain an edge</p>
<p>i attended the Lead America program this summer, complete waste of my time+money</p>
<p>whoa, it changed</p>
<p>my program was "Intelligence, Diplomacy, and National Security"</p>
<p>With these programs, it seem that the people that actually work to get to them, scrummage for the money, milk the days for all their worth, and really take advantage of what's to offer end up enjoying these programs and write essays and reflective pieces about them.</p>
<p>The only people from NSLC that I remember complaining were the predominantly white rich, upper class, privileged kids who did nothing but party and shop in Georgetown. </p>
<p>These programs are not for people who just want daddy to sign a check to some board and say entertain, educate, and pamper me. You really have to take it seriously and seek out everything, including writing letters to your congressmen, arranging meetings at the Capitol, and form relationships that will come in handy in the future, especially at the State House and UNICEF.</p>
<p>But yeah, if you just sign up go and expect the experience to be there in full from the classes and tour bus, than it's a waste of time.</p>