Q: My son just received an impressive-looking envelope inviting him to participate in the National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. They make it sound like going will be a great thing for him to put on college applications, but will it really count that much? Will it open doors for him? If this is truly a great opportunity, I don't want him to miss out – but it's really expensive! What do you suggest?

A: Would participating in this program be exciting for your son? Probably so. Will participating add a line to his resume that will make a real impact on his college applications? The company organizing the program would like you to think so, but the real answer is: no.

I get many inquiries every year about this and other invitational programs. Students feel honored to receive an important-looking packet with a letter telling them they have been nominated for this program. Someone obviously thought highly enough of your son to submit his name to the program's organizers. But the success of his college applications will not depend upon his possible participation in this or any similar program.

Every spring students have come to me with 'nomination' or 'award' letters they have received, along with glossy folders and colorful brochures. The programs often have the words 'National' or 'Leadership' in them (and have logos using symbols such as the Capitol dome or am American eagle), and they feel flattered. The opportunities outlined in the mailings -- traveling to the nation's capital, networking with government officials, meeting students from all over the country -- sound exciting. But what's the difference between an "honor" and an "opportunity"?

An honor should not have a price tag attached to it. An opportunity might or might not have a price tag. Unfortunately, the college-admissions frenzy that has developed over the last 20 years has also spawned a huge 'opportunities' industry. While there are many worthy, stimulating programs out there, for the most part they are money-making enterprises. And colleges know that.

Colleges are well aware that most students who list on their resumes "leadership conferences" or "community service" programs in exotic locales are affluent. They have these lines on their resumes because they can afford them. These programs are very costly. The National Youth Leadership Forum costs in the thousands of dollars, with variations depending upon program type and length. Sometimes programs partner with local colleges and offer (at an additional cost) participation in credit-bearing courses. There are also service or volunteer programs that charge hefty fees for participation.

How did this program learn about your son? The National Youth Leadership Forum and the Congressional Youth Leadership Council write to high school principals and guidance offices, asking for nominations of top students. Program organizers can also procure lists of names from the College Board; if a student checks, for instance, interests in law or medicine on the SAT registration form, programs dealing with law and medicine can request targeted lists. Also, students who have participated in the programs are asked to suggest the names of others they think would enjoy the experience. All of these efforts give the program organizers a huge database of prospects.

Are these organizations offering worthy experiences? For the most part, yes. The programs are fun, stimulating, and interesting -- the companies running them could not stay in business if they didn't have satisfied customers. Yes, these are businesses; they provide educational experiences, but they are not schools, not government agencies, not non-profit cultural agencies. They are basically money-making enterprises. These programs do offer excellent learning experiences, but they come at a high price.

While the National Youth Leadership Forum offers some scholarships, they also stress that they can't assist everyone, so instead they suggest that students do their own fundraising to come up with the program fees. Their website even offers a fundraising guide to help. With enough advance planning, persistence, and imagination, students are told, they can raise the funds they'll need to attend.

Wouldn't it be interesting to apply all these fundraising ideas to raising money for one's own community? In your son's case, what would make a real impact would be something that he initiates himself: starting a charity effort, organizing a human rights awareness program at his school, or getting students and teachers united on a project with a common goal. This would demonstrate planning, persistence, and imagination, and would benefit the local community instead of a company somewhere else. And this would certainly enhance his college applications!

Bottom line to readers: if you receive an offer, nomination, or "award" and there is a fee attached -- toss the envelope!

[Eds note: In an earlier version of this post, we inadvertently linked the National Student Leadership Conference to the National Youth Leadership Forum. The National Student Leadership Conference is not affiliated with the National Youth Leadership Forum.]