I was nominated by my teachers for the “National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists Award of Excellence”, but I’ve decided not to go based on the price. A lot of other CC discussions have determined that it’s basically a scam with a certificate at the end of it. My question is… can I list myself as a nominee for this award on my college apps next fall, even if I didn’t pay the money to receive it?
Thanks! Sorry for being a bother.
Wasn’t sure where to start this discussion-- please move it if it fits somewhere else. Sorry, I’m a CC rookie.
These sort of things are like getting a personal invitation for a credit card in the mail. I doubt a teacher actually did nominate, that seems very unlikely from a savvy teacher. No no NO on your application LOL. It is junk mail, like all your other junk mail.
THIS IS A FANCY ATTEMPT TO GET YOU TO PART WITH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. It has no collegiate value. Also - if you apply for a scholarship, they will give you a measly $450 in exchange for your soul. Oops, i mean in exchange for your last two years of tax returns, a notarized document validating your need, two written references from teachers, a 1000 word essay from the student and authorization for them to run credit checks at their leisure. Stay away from these scammers.
So my kid really wanted to go and I had read these reviews and was really worried. Today was the first day and it has been FANTASTIC!!! My husband accompanied our daughter and I have been watching the livestream. Today’s line up was Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST Robotics, inventor of first insuline pump, segway, etc. The winner of the Oscar for special effects for Lfe of Pi, just finished world of Warcraft, the kid who delveloped an amazing cancer test that costs only .03 cents and detects pancreatic cancer, right now Dr. Venter, a scientist that has worked on the human genome project just finished his presentation, and this is day ONE!!! Honestly, I don’t think I could have paid enough for this line up let alone what is coming tomorrow and Tuesday. Two nobel prize winners in physics, Q&A with Buzz Aldrin. IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE!!! AWESOME DAY ONE!!! She keeps texting us in awe of it all!
Sigh, another day, another shill Let’s see: First time poster and purported parent bubbling over with almost hysterical enthusiasm (solid caps, exclamation points) and a declaration that NO amount would have been too much to pay, over what, exactly? Some presentations/lectures with content that no doubt one could acquire in any number of other, cheaper, ways–TED talks, etc. Oh honey, we aren’t dummies at CC, we know how this works. Is the company’s PR firm aware that you do this sort of over-the-top shilling for them? Maybe next time tone it down a LOT, simply say the program seems to be worthwhile, and someone here might actually believe you are who you say you are.
We attended the 2015 Congress of Future Scientists and Technologists along with our son and it was a very informative and inspiring event. I am amazed at the amount of negative comments and can only attribute it to not having a full understanding of what these conferences are actually about. This is not a class, although through Washington Adventist University, you may receive 1 college credit if you complete their course requirements. This is not something special to put on your college application. It is an experience that brings together a group of scientists, visionaries, and motivational speaker to broaden your child’s world view and inspire them to pursue their dreams in the field of STEM. Oftentimes schools are greatly lacking in STEM content and are not geared toward highly motivated students. Everyone leads different lives, however this was a great opportunity for our child to meet a Nobel Prize winner, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, or Entrepreneurs like Dean Kaem in person. Our son left with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose and as soon as we got home started working again on experimental projects that had given him difficulty. He also left with a bunch of business cards and contact information from fellow attendees and is already starting to collaborate with them on different projects.
As far as the cost of the program, we travel for our professional conferences each year and you must pay for your membership, each event/class, travel, lodging, and food. We easily expend triple the cost of this conference, however, we feel the benefit derived is immeasurable. The cost and time involved in putting something like this on is enormous. We don’t begrudge any compensation that the company putting on the Congress (or any conference we attend) makes- if we could put the Congress on ourselves, we would. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the Congress and would have paid to attend ourselves. Everything we do in life is an investment, it’s just a matter of where your priorities lie.