People to People Ambassador Program

[wvjules]

I got a letter inviting DD to be a part of this. I looked it up today and her itinerary is England, France and Italy for 19 days. Cost $6499. I'm thinking that's not too bad for almost 3 weeks in Europe. She will be turning 16 right before they depart.

I haven't decided on this yet but I'm wondering if it is worth it for the experience and if it provides any advantages in applying to colleges. (DD wants to go to Auburn).

 

[DVCLiz]

I got a letter inviting DD to be a part of this. I looked it up today and her itinerary is England, France and Italy for 19 days. Cost $6499. I'm thinking that's not too bad for almost 3 weeks in Europe. She will be turning 16 right before they depart.

I haven't decided on this yet but I'm wondering if it is worth it for the experience and if it provides any advantages in applying to colleges. (DD wants to go to Auburn).

My take on People to People is that it is a vanity program charging exorbitant prices for a trip that could be done for half the cost, at least, and that colleges know plenty about it and wouldn't look on it as anything other than a vacation trip.

Both of my daughters got those letters, as did every other kid I know, and believe me, we were not the "best and brightest" who would have been hand-picked nationally... We must have hit some threshhold on a standardized test along the way.

I just think they are very expensive for what they are. I am very high on international travel for students but not PTP.

 

[wvjules]

My take on People to People is that it is a vanity program charging exorbitant prices for a trip that could be done for half the cost, at least, and that colleges know plenty about it and wouldn't look on it as anything other than a vacation trip.

Both of my daughters got those letters, as did every other kid I know, and believe me, we were not the "best and brightest" who would have been hand-picked nationally... We must have hit some threshhold on a standardized test along the way.

I just think they are very expensive for what they are. I am very high on international travel for students but not PTP.

So, not worth it? lol

DBF and I did 12 days in Europe and it cost considerably more than that which is why I thought the cost was reasonable.

We plan on taking her to Europe the summer between her Jr. and Sr. years so she will have some international travel but as a family and not part of an educational group.

I'm assuming a school like Auburn wouldn't be impressed by the program then?

Thanks for your answer.

BTW, do they just buy a mailing list from schools? I love my DD but she isn't an academic genius.

 

[DVCLiz]

I don't know how they solicit.

When she was in college, DD21 spent 3 weeks in Japan for less about $4000, 3 weeks in Spain for $3500, and a semester in Ecuador for less than the cost of a semester of college in the US, so that's the pricing structure I'm going by. If you get over $4000 I think you're not getting your money's worth.

The other issue I have with People to People is that they ask (or did in the past) the students to do "fund raising", ie write a letter to your neighbors and beg for money so you can take an expensive trip. After receiving several of these, I was amazed their parents would consider doing this to their friends, and I threw them in the trash. Make a donation so your kid can go to France for 3 weeks? OK, when will you make a donation so MY kid can do something like that, too?

I have another source of info - I'll check it out and get back to you...

 

[DVCLiz]

OK, I called DD21 - she is now an admissins counselor for a college. Not Auburn but small liberal arts and in the SE. She said if she were reading that application her reaction would be, "Oh, cool, you went to Australia" but it would not be a deciding factor at all. If the trip had an element of something like service learning - building an Australian school - or some type of government aspect - meeting government officials, etc. - that would be seen a little differently but still would not be the thing that got a student in.

Of course, DD21 has only been working for 6 weeks so she is not exactly the source of all wisdom on admissions!! Still, she's learning on the job and they are in the thick of their admissions season so I think she has a reasonable chance of knowing more than I do.

 

[wvjules]

Thank you for all of your information! Very helpful. I will file the letter in the circular.

 

[Rora]

I had a friend who did it in High School. She said it was fun.

BUT, she had to "fundraise" like a PP talked about, it didn't do anything for college admissions, and she spent a small fortune.

It's overpriced and probably not worth it to go with People to People, IMO.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It is a vacation/summer camp thing. If you want to pay for your dd to go on such a vacation and have the money then that is fine.

However I would say put that 7000 in a bank account for a college trip to study abroad while earning college credit. Much better.

It is not any "award" thing or helps toward college as an FYI.

Since my youngest went to "summer camp" at a University scholar program this past summer she gets all kinds of crap in the mail. You would not believe the stuff out there claiming to be "awards".

Will your kid have fun experiences and learn a lot, sure they will. It is a vacation.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

DD was chosen to go. We didn't do it, as it felt very much like a scam. I have since learned that if you are wealthy, really wealthy, then it is a nice vacation for your child. They do get to go places the regular vacationers aren't allowed. The kids are supervised more so than any other school trip abroad - where the kids run free so long as they have a buddy. I would never ever in a million years allow my DD to go abroad with her school and would suggest to any parent, find out what your school means by supervision!

Back to topic on hand. People to People is nothing more than a really a high priced travel agency.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I can't stand the people to people letters. They act like your child is so special, he was picked because of his leadership skills, and academic ability. The truth is they will send those letters to any kid they can find. If you don't respond they keep sending them. It is too annoying. If they were just honest about what they are, I would have more respect for them. With their tactics I wouldn't send my child on a trip with them even if it were a good deal.

 

[golfgal]

Thank you for all of your information! Very helpful. I will file the letter in the circular.

Good plan, save that money and let her do a semester abroad in college for a lot less money and she will get way more out of the trip.

DD15 got a letter when she was 9 to go play soccer in Amsterdam or somewhere for 2 weeks because of her "outstanding soccer skills". She had played exactly 3 months of soccer and was the 3rd sub off the bench--. It is a glorified travel agency preying off the emotions of parents when they get these "it's an honor to be nominated" letters.

 

[DVCLiz]

The kids are supervised more so than any other school trip abroad - where the kids run free so long as they have a buddy. I would never ever in a million years allow my DD to go abroad with her school and would suggest to any parent, find out what your school means by supervision! :scared1.

I certainly respect your opinion, although I disagree. For a student who is mature and can handle it, travel abroad can be the most amazing life experience. And the supervision issue is part of that experience. If you are just going to take a bunch of high schoolers on a bus with a guide and then back to a hotel at night, they'll have a nice vacation for sure. But if they are given some freedom to learn to negotiate some situations on their own in a foreign place, it can be a wonderful experience. Of course they need to follow safety rules of the area, but they should be on their own a fair bit at home, too, and learning the same type of skills.

DD21 was in a small town in Chile in the 10th grade for 2 weeks learning at a Spanish school, and they had freedom to roam in the town. She went to Africa for 3 weeks the summer before she was a senior in high school and that trip had moderate supervison but a LOT of freedom for the students. DD learned how to handle some pretty tough situations on her own.

By the time she got to college and went abroad, she could function in a major international non-English speaking city for 4 months. She lived with a host family and knew no one other than a couple of officials from the sponsor program. She flourished and had an amazing time.

Yes, as a parent is it frightening to think of all the what-ifs but I would not trade the way DD did those trips for anything. What she gained in maturity and confidence was priceless.

 

[Tinkermommy]

My 9 year old got one a few weeks ago. Her trip was to Europe during next summer when she would be 10.

Ummm, not a chance!

Seems like a travel agency with a good marketing department to me.

 

[mjkacmom]

This seems to come up every month or so. People who go say it's fun. It's not an honor like they make it out to be, it's an expensive tour group. I don't think it makes a difference on college applications.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Each of my DDs (15, 16) got one in the mail about 3 days ago. I remember reading on here a while back about how expensive it was and Europe could be done cheaper on your own. I threw the letters away, but theirs was Scotland, Wales, The Netherlands and Norway, I think.

 

[MichelleVW]

My oldest has been on two P2P trips and she had an amazing time. Nothing she could have had on a trip with her family.

Yes, it's expensive, but if you have the money it's totally worth it. My DD was 15 the first time she went and 16 the next year.

 

[MichelleVW]

People will tell you about how they heard it was unsafe, or run badly, or whatever, but I have yet to talk to someone who sent their child on one of these trips that has regretted it..

 

[We_Love_Disney]

I certainly respect your opinion, although I disagree. For a student who is mature and can handle it, travel abroad can be the most amazing life experience. And the supervision issue is part of that experience. If you are just going to take a bunch of high schoolers on a bus with a guide and then back to a hotel at night, they'll have a nice vacation for sure. But if they are given some freedom to learn to negotiate some situations on their own in a foreign place, it can be a wonderful experience. Of course they need to follow safety rules of the area, but they should be on their own a fair bit at home, too, and learning the same type of skills.

DD21 was in a small town in Chile in the 10th grade for 2 weeks learning at a Spanish school, and they had freedom to roam in the town. She went to Africa for 3 weeks the summer before she was a senior in high school and that trip had moderate supervison but a LOT of freedom for the students. DD learned how to handle some pretty tough situations on her own.

By the time she got to college and went abroad, she could function in a major international non-English speaking city for 4 months. She lived with a host family and knew no one other than a couple of officials from the sponsor program. She flourished and had an amazing time.

Yes, as a parent is it frightening to think of all the what-ifs but I would not trade the way DD did those trips for anything. What she gained in maturity and confidence was priceless.

In our area there is been:
Drinking and drugs
Sex - with stranger from other country
Tattoos
Piercings of different body parts
Rape - although it was not corroborated if it was consensual sex or not, she says no
Lost student
Theft

And that is from only a small portion of the state.

These were juniors and seniors in high school.

The school DD currently attends let 200 kids (9-12) roam freely the streets of NYC at night! These are not, by any stretch of the imagination, street wise children. They have been lucky.

During middle school the area schools let the children of 8th grade wander around Washington DC. A friend is a teacher there, and they do not let their students do that - in their own city!

 

[DVCLiz]

People will tell you about how they heard it was unsafe, or run badly, or whatever, but I have yet to talk to someone who sent their child on one of these trips that has regretted it..

I don't have issues with how its run or how safe it is - I don't really know anything about their record. For me, I just think it should be called "Really Nice Travel Opportunities for High School Kids" and they should drop this marketing ploy of making people think it is at all selective based on anything other than happening to have access to a high school student's mailing address. The OP wanted to know how the cost stacked up and whether this woud enhance a college app.

When friends talk about how their child has received one of these letters and they believe they have been selected for some honor, I think it is wrong. It's the honor of being able to sign up for a school trip.

I do agree that school trips offer some things a family vacation can't do, but I am not convinced that People to People is the best choice. I would far rather send my child on one of her school sponsored trips and/or choose a college with some sort of interim/January/May term with lots of travel abroad opportunities.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

People will tell you about how they heard it was unsafe, or run badly, or whatever, but I have yet to talk to someone who sent their child on one of these trips that has regretted it..

Unfortunately I know someone that has regretted it. Her DS should never have gone. I know he has issues with his emotions but he's not a dumb kid. He went to China and had a very bad experience. He was physically sick and wanted to speak to his mother. They refused to let him call her. He ended up with diarhea and vomiting. He apparently asked to call home repeatedly and they would not let him. Eventually he pulled the old - "If you don't let me call my mom and go home I'm going to hurt myself." He was on the next plane home with one of the few chaperones. She now tells everyone this story as a warning. Do I agree with what her son did? I don't know. But I do know that I would be pissed as hell if my kid was denied a phone call home.