You are so disingenuous. You are a shining example of everything wrong with American education and this generation of students. Because I'm in the top 20% of my community college class, you want me to pay you $75 to join your barely 15-year-old "society"? Because somehow you can tell that I'm a "natural leader and outstanding scholar" (emphasis in the original)? And that I engage in hard work and exhibit academic excellence? Because I have managed to have 3.6+ GPA in this age of grade inflation? I call BULLSHIT.
Now, I appreciate my community college and I'm incredibly impressed with my fellow students, but you're trying to make a buck off the back of poor kids who desperately want to believe they are special and are hungry for recognition. And, omg, THEIR PARENTS. I was going to let this NSCS bullshit go until I got a letter that began with this: "Dear Family, I am attaching a copy of the letter The Master received a few days ago [to join NCSC]. Also enclosed is a Membership Confirmation card in the even you would like to respond on The Master's behalf." (emphasis so in the original). What an absolutely shitty thing to do, NSCS. You appeal to students' desire to think they are special, and then when the student doesn't respond, you appeal to the parents' desire to feel their progeny is special.
This rankles so much more because the benefits of joining are NONEXISTENT. If you pay NSCS, you get....:
- someone who recognizes your specialness
- a line on a resume (which is really worse than useless, given the admission standards -- if I saw this, I'd know I was reading the resume of a mediocrely bright person who really, really wanted to be regularly patted on the head -- in other words, someone to run far far away from)
- access to scholarships (but you must run IE 6.0+, and most are only worth $500 -- pennies in the face of higher education)
- opportunities to study abroad (because without NSCS you can't get abroad)
- transfer help (because it's so hard)
- networking, internship, and job opportunities (because you really want the ones they'll connect you with)
- "an official NSCS diploma to recognize your achievement" (WTF?)
- "the coveted NSCS membership pin" (WHAT THE F****????)
- press release to provide to your local media (I honestly can't believe this is so overt)
Yes, I'm an elitist, but I have no respect for you, NSCS. And I think I'm more than justified in calling out your shitty and transparent maneuver to give barely-better-than-average people nothing more a special feeling if they only pay you money.
No love,
the master
