Who's Who Among American High School Students

Parents Forum
1

<p>Does anybody have any experience with this? We received a form in the mail and they are asking us to submit our daughter by 17 Mar. It's the first I've ever heard of it. Just looking for some other experiences. Thanks</p>

2

<p>IMO it's just another avenue for trying to get a buck out of parents by trying to make them think that this is a prestigious honor (it isn't). Save your money.</p>

3

<p>I was thinking it was a money scam as well but you don't have to buy anything.</p>

4

<p>It is useless and meaningless.</p>

5

<p>Fell for it when my S was a junior. I agree it is worthless and meaningless in hindsight. Student lists achievements, activities, ect. Naively purchased publication after junior year. Saw how lame some of the listings were. It is another overpriced memento that has no value to college app process, etc.</p>

6

<p>it is a scam and meaningless- in fact, worse than meaningless, it is an embarrassment, because if you fall for it and tell someone you are in Who's WHo, they will know you are a dupe</p>

7

<p>Ok that's enough for me. In the shredder it goes. Thanks to all for their insight.</p>

8

<p>200 kids will get $1000. DS got his in 2002. Easiest 10 minutes he ever spent. We never bought anything. Each to his own. How about that one scholarship that USNWR gives in their college book. Talk about long odds and you have to buy the book! At least you should.</p>

9

<p>To be eligible for the scholarships, students have to pay a “processing fee.” While the $4 fee may sound small, enough students pay the fee to fund the scholarships for the few that receive them. Thus, the whole thing amounts to little more than a lottery.</p>

<p>If you doubt this, check out their IRS form 990, which is available on-line at Guidestar. In 2003, the Who’s Who controlled non-profit Educational Communications Scholarship Foundation received $310,465 in “processing fees” and $65,000 from the for-profit portion of Who’s Who. (That $65,000 is a small portion of the proceeds received from suckers who bought the books.) Grants for that year amounted to $343,460. Of the $343,460, $280,270 was paid to colleges for student scholarships. The remaining $63,190 went to organizations such as the National Cheerleading Association.</p>

<p>The costs to administer the program were:
-$6,835 in travel, conferences and meetings
- $17,450 in scholarship committee fees
- $27,473 in printing, postage and mailing
- $36,319 in “miscellaneous” (hmm…)</p>