Is the The National Academy of Future Scientists legit?

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SUMMARY

The National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists is a recently established organization that has raised questions regarding its legitimacy. Prominent figures such as Buzz Aldrin and John C. Mather are listed as mentors, yet the lack of a Wikipedia article and mixed online reviews contribute to skepticism. The program resembles a three-day seminar or summer camp aimed at engaging students with industry leaders, but it is unclear if it offers substantial benefits for college applications. The organization was founded last November and lacks transparency regarding participating schools and locations.

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GiantSheeps
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The National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists

That's the full title of the organization, does anyone know if it is a legitimate organization? I got really excited when I saw, but then when I looked it up on the internet I found a lot of people asking if it was legitimate and there were mixed replies. I couldn't even find a wikipedia article for this. It says Buzz Aldrin, David Wineland, John C. Mather, Cherry Murray, and Stuart Schmill are "mentors". It would be great if this was real, but I'm afraid it might be a scam. Does anyone know what the deal is with this group? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
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It looks like a seminar series where they get interested students to attend to listen to various industry leaders to talk about the future.

These things are very common for engineering professionals and scientists. You attend and listen to new research discoveries in your field.

In this case, it will be more like a three day summer camp where you will be more excited to talk with other like minded students discussing what the speakers talked about and you will have spent a lot of money for that privilege. It could be a lot of fun but is it really worth it. Your parents migh think it will help you get into a better school but it's three days of talks nothing really concrete.

That's just my two cents though.
 
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I never heard of it before, so I did a Google search and turned up probably the same things you did. It was founded just last November, by a guy who's launched some other variations on this theme. Their web site doesn't even yet have a list of schools and cities represented.

On one page they say "The Congress will be held in one of America’s science and technology meccas, Boston, Massachusetts [...]" but on the "accept" page the FAQ says it will be at UMass Lowell. Lowell is not Boston!

I'd call it a gamble, and treat it like a summer camp sort of thing. If the program and other activities look interesting, and if your parents can afford it without taking money away from other priorities, you might consider it. I doubt it would provide a significant advantage on college applications.
 
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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20160129-column.html
GiantSheeps said:
The National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists

That's the full title of the organization, does anyone know if it is a legitimate organization? I got really excited when I saw, but then when I looked it up on the internet I found a lot of people asking if it was legitimate and there were mixed replies. I couldn't even find a wikipedia article for this. It says Buzz Aldrin, David Wineland, John C. Mather, Cherry Murray, and Stuart Schmill are "mentors". It would be great if this was real, but I'm afraid it might be a scam. Does anyone know what the deal is with this group? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20160129-column.html