People to People Student Ambassador Program

[Zandy595]

Does anyone have any experience with this program? DS10 just got an ivitation to go on one of their trips. I'm 99% sure he's not going, but I was just curious if anyone here knows about it.

 

[ZuZugal]

I know students who have done both the national and international destinations. I do think it is a lot of money. My DS13 was just sent a letter to go to Australia next summer. We are not considering it. I've heard people say it is a very good thing to have on a college resume'.

If you are at all interested, go to the informational meeting. I think you're child will enjoy the experience if they are outgoing and assertive.....not if they just melt in with the crowd. (Per my friend who has 2 children who have done it.)

 

[Ginamarie]

My sister has been on two P2P trips (this summer and last summer). It was an incredible learning experience for her, and she wound up making great friends along the way. The best part of P2P was that she earned 12 college credits, which is almost a semesters worth for far less than the cost of college tuition. My parents thought that was a great investment, making the trip a cost saver rather than it being an expensive vacation (you can chose whether you want to do the college credits or not).

That being said, she only started going on the trips at age 15. We were invited to send her to Australia when she was about 10 or 11 and decided against it. I think P2P is a great program for teenagers, and rewarded her with once in a lifetime opportunities (speaking to an actual British Parliament member, repelling down a Scottish castle, riding gondolas in Venice).

If you have any specific questions I'd be glad to answer them. I wish we knew about the program when I was in HS!!

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

My 11 yr. old DD just got an invite but I assumed it was junk mail!

 

[GoofieRuthie]

My daughter got an invitation yesterday also. I wasn't sure if it was real or something to get money. It looked very impressive though. I did go to the website, but it wouldn't mention anything of price. It said that tuition would cover all food and expenses during the trip. The child also has to be interviewed according to the site. Which, would probably knock DD out of it. (not that we could afford to send her anyway.) I hate to say it, but she is very book smart, but doesn't have a lick of common sense. I think it's an in thing these days to be "clueless".

 

[PghLybrt]

I actually went…3 times. I would recommend it to anybody! I met the most fascinating people (I actually met with Mikheal Gorbachev). I still am in contact with people from my experiences, which as an adult proves to be extremely useful having contacts all over the US and abroad in a wide range of occupations. Did it help me get into college? Actually no because I never even listed it on an application. My recommendation , do anything you can to get your child into the program. I went to places that defiantly were out of my box and I think that’s the best. I have been to the middle east , USSR (before it fell), and then Russia (after), China and Japan. I wouldn’t really get into it if it was just to Great Britain or Australia.

 

[disykat]

Do you have the money to send your child to travel camp? While I've heard some positive things about the program, I think people are fooling themselves if they think it's a big honor. Travel is great life experience, but it costs money. It's a travel company for profit.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

there are numerous threads on the DIS about this program. Although their literature makes it look like a "grand honor" to be nominated, they are indeed as Disykat said a Youth Travel camp program that gets their "nominations" from various sources including marketing lists.

As for the 12 college credits.... well I would be very interested in hearing what colleges are going to accept them and what requirements they will fullfill.

recent article concerning their marketing practices and just what an "honor it is" to be nominated.

Student Travel Service Agrees To Modify Marketing
Told Parents Their Long-Dead Child Had Been "Selected"

June 21, 2006
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has raised concerns with the marketing company for "People to People International" regarding how the company portrays the selection of students for its "Student Ambassador" travel-abroad trips -- and the company has agreed to modify its representations.

The state's Consumer Protection Division looked into the matter when an Iowa mother received a letter last fall inviting her son to "join other outstanding middle school students" from Central Iowa "who are eligible for People to People" and a 20-day travel and study trip to Europe in 2006.

The letter indicated her son -- who died in 1993 at seven weeks of age -- "has been recommended for the honor by a teacher, former Student Ambassador or national academic listing."

"We understand a student generally must pay about $5,000 to go on one of the trips abroad," Miller said. "We conveyed our concern to People to People that parents who are induced to believe that their child was selected on merit are potentially misled, and may be improperly manipulated into making substantial expenditures they might otherwise decline to make."

The Attorney General's Office learned that in-person presentations to families who receive the invitation letter also convey the message that students are specially selected as an honor, and People to People representatives describe the program similarly over the telephone.

People to People International and Ambassadors Group, Inc, which markets the travel programs, have agreed to modify the introductory letter and the in-person presentation that relate to the "Student Ambassador" travel program to address the Attorney General's concerns that aspects are misleading.

People to People also donated $20,000 to Blank Children's Hospital and $5,000 to the Iowa SIDS Foundation -- charities supported by the family of the child who died in 1993

 

[GoofieRuthie]

Thanks Toby's Friend. That's exactly what I was wanting to know. I had a feeling that it was a little far fetched. Not that my daughter isn't a good student, but something just didn't jive.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My Dniece was selected to go to Greece and Italy this summer. She is only 11. My stupid soon to be ex BIL was insistent that she attend. They never asked anyone's opinion but when we volunteered that she might be too young to appreciate ancient ruins or understand their significance we were told to mind our own business. It was a 3 week trip. The thing that bothered me was that the kids aren't allowed to bring international cell phones of any kind. When the program dropped the chaperones from 5 to 3 my Dsis finally pulled her. There were over 25 11 to 12 year olds and only 3 chaperones in their 20s. I think my niece was rather relieved.

I think its a great program for older kids but 11 is awfully young.

 

[Buckalew11]

Practically every child I know has been invited. At one point, we did toss the idea around to send DD to Australia because that is her dream trip. She was just too young IMO. I just read in the paper that a child we know just got back. It sounds like a nice program if you are interested but not some great honor to be asked to go.

 

[Patabel]

My DD (krnb here on the boards) traveled with P2P when she was a teenager. Her trip was to the USSR - she was home only one month when it fell. The things she saw and participated in was far beyond what a tourist would experience. P2P offered trips to Australia, England, etc, but we saw those as being vacations and not learning experiences. The USSR was quite the trip!

As for college credits, they are (or were at the time) thru the University of Washington, and involved assignments specific to her travels. She earned 5 credits. Since the U of W is a fully accredited university, those credits later transferred to her university without any problem.

But the life experiences were totally invaluable! Besides the involvement with folks from other parts of the world, they also learn how to manage time, space and "making do". They were only allowed to bring one suitcase - which they had to carry - no older person helping, no bell captains. At several of the locations they visited, they had to walk 6-8 blocks to the hotel from the train station...carrying/rolling that bag.

As far as cost - yes it is expensive, but her group did fund raisers, etc to help reduce the out of pocket.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ginamarie]

there are numerous threads on the DIS about this program. Although their literature makes it look like a "grand honor" to be nominated, they are indeed as Disykat said a Youth Travel camp program that gets their "nominations" from various sources including marketing lists.

As for the 12 college credits.... well I would be very interested in hearing what colleges are going to accept them and what requirements they will fullfill.

recent article concerning their marketing practices and just what an "honor it is" to be nominated.

I'm sorry that you're so skeptical about the program, but the college credits are, in fact, real. They are accepted at many institutions around the US and aborad, including NYU, Cornell and Columbia University (those are the colleges DSis is interested in that are in our area). I know that over 20 universities accept the credits in NY state alone. The credits fulfill courses in history, journalism and art. She didn't get credits just for going on the trip, there was a good amount of work she needed to fulfill, and a thesis had to be presented for each course she took. I personally reviewed the entire packet she sent to the college, and can assure you that it was on par with many of the courses I took while I was in college.

This is not just a for-profit travel company. People to People was set up by Dwight D. Eisenhower as the federal student ambassador program. In fact, Walt Disney created "It's a Small World" after attending a People to People convention held at the White House.

I agree that the marketing aspect of the program isn't the best, but the program itself is exceptional. It's like any other learning experience. If your child is interested in history and different cultures he/she will probably get more out of the trip. I also agree that the program is best geared towards HS students. However, it's not a scam by any means.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

People to People was set up by Dwight D. Eisenhower as the federal student ambassador program. In fact, Walt Disney created "It's a Small World" after attending a People to People convention held at the White House.

Not exactly. There is a People to People non-profit organization that was set up by Eisenhower. The "Student Ambassador" Travel Corporation liscenses the rights to the People to People name to run their travel programs. This corporation trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the letters EPAX. It is not the People to People student exchange program of old and it is completely seperate from the People to People non-profit corporation.

I have no doubt that this organization does provide nice trips for the kids. My main concern began with them when my oldest son was about in the 5th grade and we began receiving these nomination letters. I knew for a fact that nobody had nominated him. Some of them we received actually came addressed to the name that we use to subscribe to magazines with - not his real name. They bought his "fictitious name" off a marketing list.

My unease with this program has always been the way they word their marketing into making parents believe that their children have been offerred some incredible honor in being an "ambassador" of the United States. There is nothing official or noble about getting one of those letters. It is simply an advertisement for a youth summer travel program. The trips are VERY expensive and they push to make parents feel like they are denying their kids --- an education to Harvard or something -- by saying no.

Frankly, I'm surprised it has taken this many years for States to begin looking at their marketing practices, because as others have said -- it has been going on for several years.

 

[Ginamarie]

Not exactly. There is a People to People non-profit organization that was set up by Eisenhower. The "Student Ambassador" Travel Corporation liscenses the rights to the People to People name to run their travel programs. This corporation trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the letters EPAX. It is not the People to People student exchange program of old and it is completely seperate from the People to People non-profit corporation.

I have no doubt that this organization does provide nice trips for the kids. My main concern began with them when my oldest son was about in the 5th grade and we began receiving these nomination letters. I knew for a fact that nobody had nominated him. Some of them we received actually came addressed to the name that we use to subscribe to magazines with - not his real name. They bought his "fictitious name" off a marketing list.

My unease with this program has always been the way they word their marketing into making parents believe that their children have been offerred some incredible honor in being an "ambassador" of the United States. There is nothing official or noble about getting one of those letters. It is simply an advertisement for a youth summer travel program. The trips are VERY expensive and they push to make parents feel like they are denying their kids --- an education to Harvard or something -- by saying no.

Frankly, I'm surprised it has taken this many years for States to begin looking at their marketing practices, because as others have said -- it has been going on for several years.

I agree with you about the marketing, but there are a lot of marketing ploys like that out there today. It's like the Who's Who book series. Everyone gets the "honor" of being invited to be featured in the book, and then an offer to buy the book for $50.

I'm just saying, don't condemn the program because of the marketing strategy. I can't tell you how many times Target has pulled a bait and switch, but I don't stop going to the store.