People to People Trips -Worthwhile Cost for College Application

<p>By the way, while we received tons of marketing material encouraging my D to take a second P2P trip, not once did anyone inquire whether she had been admitted to her “first choice” college–so that statistic is a bunch of nonsense.</p>

<p>@oliviaarpie‌ </p>

<p>Raising roughly $12,000(for 3 trips) is a huge feat. I’m impressed and would like to know as well. </p>

<p>@NewHavenctmom Our groups have done raffles where we have bought a tv or bike and then raffled them off. You would be surprised how many people would spend money to try to win a bike. Also, selling chocolate at school is a huge fund-raiser. Along with having a job and doing other smaller fundraisers: car washes etc. It really is not that hard.</p>

<p>Okay. That’s awesome! I never thought raffles, candy or car washes could make so much money for groups of travelers! Your trips cost roughly $12,000 just for you. So you guys raised maybe $20,000 or more this way? Wow. Impressive.</p>

<p>@NewHavenCTmom This is over 3 years of travel so when you break it down, it is not as intimidating. When you have the desire as I do to explore the world, every minute is worth it.</p>

<p>I think though, that P2P don’t target wealthy people, they target hungry parents who are susceptible to this kind of marketing, wealthy educated parents wouldn’t choose something as hokey as p2p, a desire to travel the world isn’t satisfied by this kind of product. The saddest part is that maybe the fundraisers take money from the people who can least afford it because they are the least savvy or likely to question the facts. Since when did Canada qualify as world travel for kids from Nth America? Explore the world? Meh. </p>

<p>One family that I know that sent their then 11year old daughter was not poor/low income. Both parents have masters degrees with great jobs to go along with those degrees. </p>

<p>The other family was a single mom who was in a horrible car accident some years back. She was awarded almost $500,000 for her injuries, not sure if that daughter went before or after the money was paid out. I feel that the P2P experience helped her immensely. She was a good kid(very mouthy & rude, disruptive) but could have gone down a wrong path. I think P2P was her lightbulb moment.</p>

<p>I don’t think P2P are villains, but for most people there are better options. Anything a fifth-grader does is not going to impact college applications (unless they also win the Nobel prize for it). The cost is also quite high for what you get. D went on a EF tours trip to London and Paris in high school for quite a bit less money than this P2P trip is charging to go to Canada. For what P2P is charging, this family could take a meaningful trip together, which at this age seems more appropriate.</p>

<p>Wow. I’m going to immediately call all the school fundraising chairs I know, the ones desperate to get funds to pay for band uniforms and theater sets and sports equipment, and tell them they just aren’t selling the right kind of candy or raffling the right bikes. If there’s enough money out there to send Olivia overseas three times, none of us should have any worries. This thread has been invaluable.</p>

<p>old thread. <a href=“People to People Ambassador program sued over death of student - #46 by Sunshine_Mom - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/455786-people-to-people-ambassador-program-sued-over-death-of-student-p4.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I didn’t have the energy to read Sunsine Moms entire post. Lol looks like her son suffers from uncontrolled DM. Which in and of itself is nerve wracking under normal circumstances while at home with parental support & guidance. </p>

<p>Her son doesn’t suffer, he had and managed t1, but that is a moot point, he is dead. It IS worth reading. </p>

I went on one to New Orleans in which we helped out the community that got devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and it was amazing. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity/experience and I’m so happy I got to go. I read that I get $2,000 in tuition for college because of it. Tuition or not, it still looks great on your resume and one of the best experiences to have.

Your posts indicate you’re a HS sophomore. Hurricane Katrina was 11 years ago - did you make this trip when you were 5? Even if it was a few years later, I’m skeptical of the claims that

  1. This is a great addition to your CV; and
  2. You'll get any sort of tuition rebate as a result.

This reminds me of a program my school has (courtesy of a principal who “imported” it from her last school). For about $4000/student, kids spend a week at a school in sub-Saharan Africa. Their contributions - after 20-30 students pony up that sum, for a total cost that exceeds six figures - generally consist of building a broom closet, a shed, or a glorified cubicle. $100,000 well spent.

I’m sure some kids have great experiences that change their world view. That doesn’t excuse the unethical (imho) tactics of sending letters acting as if the child is getting some huge honor when in fact they just sent it to every name on the mailing list they got their hands on. It’s not an honor, it’s just business.

5th grade and you are already on the forum? Yikes. And FWIW, you cannot put something from 5th, 6th, 7th, or even 8th grade on a college application, unless it is some colossal achievement that makes headline news perhaps. SMH.

My older daughter got multiple letters inviting her from 5th-8th grades. She was never interested and I didn’t think it sounded realistic as far as how impressive it really was. I’m extra glad because a kid she knows from her school went last year and I know this will sound somewhat snobby but I’m not sure what qualifications this child had to be “nominated”. Definitely not academics. I mean, the kid is ok but not outstanding. Not based on cooperativeness or work ethic or other things teachers tend to notice either. I mean, as most others have said, it’s not that the program exists that is questionable so much as it seeming so unethical in trying to make people fall all over themselves to pay a lot of hard earned money for this amazing opportunity for these “special” kids. Too much marketing gimmick.

The kid had money.

To be fair, they’re still cleaning up. My kid went with a school group for “alternative spring break” and did significant construction projects on hurricane damaged homes. This was in 2013.