Hey all, I just received one of those famous “due to your great grades and academic achievements…” letters which I usually toss down the trash, but this one caught my eye. It was a packet offering attendance to the 2017 Presidential Inauguration with a 2 day conference with speakers (Nobel Prize winners, Inventors, etc.) in D.C. following. Has anybody attended this before or at least know much about it? Is it another one of those mass-invitation programs or is it viable for college apps? Thanks!
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My D got one of those. It is legitimate, if you want to spend $4000, as I recall. But it won’t help your app any more than volunteering, getting a job, or doing something you are interested in. I threw it away. She had zero interest. If yiu are really interested in doing leadership stuff, why not go for it. Just do not expect it to give you any kind of advantage. It won’t.
@Lindagaf That’s about what I was thinking too… and the price was under $1300, not as crazy as $4000 
Hmmm, I definitely recal something with that name costing a crazy amount of money. Regardless, you don’t need it to have an impressive application.
@Lindagaf Well remember that the Inauguration is only once every 4 years… so unless she got it in the last week, then it’s something else. And yeah, of course, I wasn’t saying it would be necessary for an impressive application, just thought it might be a supplement.
@Lindagaf I got one of the same letters as @tigerrocks13 and I was wondering, how do you know that it is legit? It seems a little bit too good to be true kinda thing. I’ve been doing some research myself to see what others are saying about this letter. Thanks @Lindagaf
@asian_warrior What do you mean by “legit”? Will they take you to see the inauguration? I suppose so – along with the other kids whose families forked over a wad of dollars. Will that experience be likely fun and you’ll make new friends? Likely so. Will visiting DC be a learning experience. Should be.
But the OP asked if it’s meaningful for college admissions in particular. The answer is squarely no. T
This is not done as a public service. This is a for-profit venture. The developers of this program will make a lot of money. Is that wrong? Nope.
Do you ever see those “Axe” commercials that clearly prey on the vanity of insecure teen boys? The producers of “Axe” knows what to get guys to buy their product and they’re laughing all the way to the bank. This is akin to that.
@asian_warrior , if they ask for money, it’s a “buy a pseudo-bragging rights” scheme.
I searched it a while back and it’s not the actual Presidential Inauguration. On the website page http://www.inaugurationcongress.com/student-parent-information/ it says this:
“THE CONGRESS IS A PRIVATE, NON-POLITICAL INAUGURAL EVENT NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OR ANY POLITICAL PARTY.”
@T26E4 By legit, I meant is it an actual official event? I could see how it’s a sales pitch. Like, I would love to go to this but I’m just trying to make sure that it’s what it says it is.