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My younger daughter (now rising high school senior) received a letter in the mail yesterday:
“Congratulations! Based on your outstanding academic achievement…you have been selected for membership in the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS)."
The letter goes on detail the benefits and resources of joining the NSHSS - for a “one-time fee of $60.00 for a lifetime membership”.
- “scholarship, leadership, and study abroad programs"
- “service activities"
- “exclusive discounts"
- a “personalized membership certificate, bearing the NSHSS crest and Mr. Nobel’s signature”.
I had never heard of the NSHSS, and I have some questions.
Rather than rely on Google, I thought that I may crowdsource the answers from our IHE community.
Perhaps you (or the NSHSS) might have some answers:
Question 1: What do college admissions counselors think of NSHSS membership on an application?
Question 2: What criteria is utilized to select high school students as eligible for invitation to join the NSHSS? What percentage of high school juniors receive invitations?
Question 3: What is the tax status of NSHSS? If NSHSS is a for-profit company (as I understand) should this matter?
Question 4: How much money does the NSHSS take in each year, and how much is than returned in the form of scholarships and direct aid to students?
Question 5: The NSHSS Board of Advisors has some impressive people listed - including a bunch of Nobel Laureates and even Elon Musk. What is the compensation for the Board of Advisors, and what are the responsibilities.
Question 6: The invitation letter states that the “NSHSS was founded by Mr. Claes Nobel, whose family established the world-renowned Nobel Prizes…” What is the relation of Claes Nobel to Alfred Nobel, as Alfred Nobel never had any children?
Question 7: The NSHSS.org website lists a number of “partnerships and collaborators”, including a large number prestigious universities, educational organizations, corporations, government entities. (Including the Central Intelligence Agency). What does it mean to be an NSHSS partner? From a university, who makes the decision to partner - and what are the benefits and costs of being given “partner” status.
Question 8: Has your kid (or you) also received an invitation from the NSHSS? Did they become members? What would you recommend?
What other questions about the NSHSS would you ask?
