It arrived in a beautiful envelope, looking very much like a wedding invitation.  Expensive card stock, double envelope, the works.  “Congratulations Lucy, you’ve been nominated for,” it began.  She had been nominated by a teacher that knows her well and praised her academic abilities.  Wow, what an honor!  The only problem, Lucy was only two years of age and was a Labrador retriever.

Who’s Who in American High School Students and the National Honor Roll will include the student in their publication for free, but there is a significant cost to purchase the book. The National Youth Leadership Council and National Leadership Youth Forum offer week-long programs at college campuses for “outstanding young leaders.” The programs sound wonderful; interesting guest speakers, field trips and acknowledgement of your participation in the local paper.  Are they worth the money?

You don’t necessarily get what you pay for.

While having their name printed in a leather bound volume may boost a student’s self-esteem and a cushy summer program may be a lot of fun, college admissions officers agree that these programs do little to enhance a student’s candidacy. While some outstanding summer programs exist, parents and students are best to proceed with caution before investing a significant amount of money. For most students getting a job, doing volunteer work or exploring an activity about which they are passionate will be much more beneficial on their resume.

So how did Lucy get her nomination? Certainly not from obedience class. Most likely her name was pulled from a scholarship search in which I used her name. And, no, we didn’t buy the book!