<p>I posted positively on this… Go look at some of my other posts that are giving praise to other programs as well.</p>
<p>Ones that would be considered rival programs.</p>
<p>Does anyone realize that you can get financial aid for this? That’s how I attened it…</p>
<p>Dishonest marketing, and apparently highly overpriced. </p>
<p>The FA couldn’t possibly be that much, and whether you’d like to accept it or not you have to be somewhat well off to be able to attend this type of program (and I don’t understand why some people try to deny it, it’s far from a bad thing). </p>
<p>On top of this, a lot of people apparently do appreciate the quality of the programs. </p>
<p>If only the company was more reputable…</p>
<p>Well I paid $1,000 so that’s more than a 50% discount. Plus all of the speakers we had and the places we visited was really cool like Bob Barr and the white house press secretary and people like that.</p>
<p>All I can say is that my daughter just participated in the National Student’s Leadership Conference in International Diplomacy and it has been by far the best experience of her life. Not to take away from the several others that she has been in but this is by far the most comprehensive, organized and structured and with attention to detail. The delivery has been outstanding. She kept calling her mother just for a minute a couple of times a day in order to brief her and tell her how excited she was and how important for her this has been.</p>
<p>What’s the source of the posters’ anger in this thread.</p>
<p>Marketing is marketing. Given the number of positive growth experiences that people have at these programs, and the spin from essays on college applications, the marketing claims, though stretched are credible. That’s marketing. Like a toothpaste ad that claims to get you the girl. Get over it. </p>
<p>That they give financial aid at all is surprising. College financial aid comes from donors or the government. These summer programs are private and don’t have taxpayer’s money to play with. Say thank you for the FA you received; it was paid for by increased prices charged to the other students around you. </p>
<p>The private sector give “Financial Aid,” in the form of sales all the time - with the express purpose of making sales: Rebates on cars, coupons on a specific brand of mayonnaise or cat food. Summer programs are the same. </p>
<p>That these programs use effective marketing and are for profit does not make them somehow evil. They market in terms that catch your attention, and then provide a quality product. The emotion level of some posters of out of line. Private entities providing a quality product are not bad guys; they are heroes in a way. They put their professional lives, their time, and their capital on the line to provide quality programs to high school students.</p>
<p>Am sorry you think that way about 3.0 gpa. My daughter is an excellent student and because of family illness and problems, one year she was off and her gpa was affected. She is the most complete and wholesome person you can ever imagine. She is top in athletics, photography, singer, she is the most sought after person in all school (boys and girls) as well as the parents and teachers alike. I bet she’ll be on top of most 4.0 gpa’s in life.</p>
<p>We feel the program is excellent and substantially less inexpensive that some others my daughter has been to with perhaps less structure as this has been.</p>
<p>Sorry but I have to disagree Cindyluhoo, if you can afford it it’s a great deal with all the activities we did (no i’m not an employee I went too it)</p>
<p>hi, i saw you’re post and i just wanted to tell you it’s not a scam
i just went there. i’m going to be a junior in high school and i did the medicine and healthcare program and it was so cool. we did suturing and talked to doctors and went to a research facility. it’s expensive but completely worth it. i loved every minute of it and wish i could go back. (and no i’m not being paid to say this). you should think about sending you kid there.</p>
<p>oh but NLYF or whatever is a scam</p>
<p>i did a medicine and healthcare program at NSLC and it was really cool, it was well structured we learned how to suture and take blood pressure and we got to dissect a sheep’s heart and a cow’s eye. we also got to go to SF and look at the golden gate and go to the exploritorium and fisherman’s wharf and pier 39. it was really fun so don’t talk **** about it when you haven’t even been there.</p>
<p>it’s not a scam i just did the medicine and healthcare program and it was AMAZING! i wish i could go back!</p>
<p>A real summer program shouldn’t need money to “better the world of tomorrow.” I got an invite and the only reason I’m even considering is because it is offered at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Actually I got an invitation, and I’m right now thinking about applying…For an international student it’s really hard to decide…U know, the cost of plane ticket and all those things, so I’m just hesitating about it and became even more suspecting after I saw the post here.
Well I really hope that someone can tell me that it is not that bad…
Afterall, I’ve been to Model UN, internships and several summer camps here in China…so maybe it is not so necessary? Though I’m such a party animal and I love the whole “living a planet away (indeed!) from home and do meaningful things with peers” thing…Does anyone know some similar activities? Just for killing time?(well maybe adding some extra points to college admission at the same time?)</p>
<p>I’m kind of anxious to start pre-college programs. I feel like I need to get my hands on everything I possibly can. I got a letter from NSLC and I guess I was rrecommended through my school. I don’t know what I’m going to major in yet, but I kind of want to try this. Is it worth the money?</p>
<p>My son is attending NSLC this year to decide if he is interested in engineering or business. It is a great experience to be on a college campus as a rising junior - this is a preview of what it is like to be away from home studying a subject that you may want to pursue in college or as a career later on. These programs are expensive and are not necessary for college admission - this really isn’t the point of going as I see it. Our son is very undecided and his high school counselor suggested that he determine whether or not he wants business or engineering prior to applying to college - these two disciplines are difficult to transfer into once you are admitted to a particular school. We feel that it is worth the money spent for him to have this experience. For those who are bringing up the gpa cut off of 3.0 - thank goodness it is inclusive so that a broader range of students can be reached. So many opportunities are hyper-competetive now - it’s a good thing when something is still accessible and I think it’s hard for some to relate to this opinion. Our son is an A student and I do not consider NCLS a scam. Many great kids that we spoke with from our community loved the experience… including my nephew who is an A student matriculating to Santa Clara Engineering this fall.</p>
<p>I just got back from the NSLC Journalism, Film and Media Arts at American University program yesterday, and I just want to get it out there that it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I don’t think it is too selective, but you learn SO MUCH. They keep you really busy and you learn so much about your field. It’s great for learning about the field you could be interested in studying in college. I, for example, learned that I would love to study Public Relations. The professors and the “counselors” (called TAs) are so nice. I also met awesome friends I will never lose contact with. Anyone who decides to go WILL NOT REGRET IT.</p>
<p>YES! Absolutely worth the money. You do so much stuff, such as touring (DC in my case, because I was at American University), you learn from real college professors, and you have SO MUCH FUN. It also looks good on college applications. They give you a letter of recommendation at the end that you can send to universities. You won’t regret going.</p>