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Thread: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

  1. #1
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    United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    We got a letter in the mail (through the school) that my 7th grader was one of the "few" recognized by USAA for Excellence in Social Studies and eligible to apply for one of their scholarships. Also they would do a press release with the local paper and his profile would be included in a yearbook. The catch is we have to pay for the yearbook and also we could get family members (grandma, aunts, etc) to buy it too.

    My son was excited to "be selected". Apparently local teachers submit names around the country.

    I'm skeptical about these things and I recognize it as a scam. Has anyone else gotten one of these letters and do you think it's in bad taste to prey on children and parents emotions of winning something "pretigious" when it really a marketing scam?


    USAA is not affliated with the insurance/bank out of San Antonio. This USAA is set up out of Lexington, KY.


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  3. #2
    Joe Oliver love-child Blimpie's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Quote Originally Posted by RedBloodedAmerican
    We got a letter in the mail (through the school) that my 7th grader was one of the "few" recognized by USAA for Excellence in Social Studies and eligible to apply for one of their scholarships. Also they would do a press release with the local paper and his profile would be included in a yearbook. The catch is we have to pay for the yearbook and also we could get family members (grandma, aunts, etc) to buy it too.

    My son was excited to "be selected". Apparently local teachers submit names around the country.

    I'm skeptical about these things and I recognize it as a scam. Has anyone else gotten one of these letters and do you think it's in bad taste to prey on children and parents emotions of winning something "pretigious" when it really a marketing scam?


    USAA is not affliated with the insurance/bank out of San Antonio. This USAA is set up out of Lexington, KY.
    Rats! Sounds like the jig is up...time for me to pack up the kids again and hit the road

  4. #3
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Well I got a similar letter, but I was chosen to be a child Ambassador, and travel Europe and have a chance to go to Japan. I didn't get to go because my mom and dad, just as RBA, we're skeptical about sending me away.
    Let's make some noise!

  5. #4
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Sounds sort of like the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence. You'll know it's the real thing if Joe Frazier shows up to present the award.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
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    Chip is right

  6. #5
    Be the ball Roy Tucker's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    My son (and now recently my daughter) has gotten a ton of these. They are not scams per se but they also aren't like being a National Merit Scholar or anything. It's more of a vanity press thing.

    Basically, they hand out scholarships that are funded by the sales of the yearbooks, patches, and other paraphenalia that they sell. And I'm sure the owners skim off their fair share.

    But they are legit businesses from the standpoint that they tell you clearly what you get for your money. Which is a 3-5 line entry in a book they publish and sell to people who paid to have entries in the book (he said redundantly).
    She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning

  7. #6
    smells of rich mahogany deltachi8's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip R
    Sounds sort of like the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence. You'll know it's the real thing if Joe Frazier shows up to present the award.
    You beat me to it! Thats what i thought as well.

    Sounds like the who's-who thing where you have to pay to get in the directory..IIRC.
    Nothing to see here. Please disperse.

  8. #7
    Strategery RFS62's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    I was a Little Lebowski Junior Achiever.
    We'll go down in history as the first society that wouldn't save itself because it wasn't cost effective ~ Kurt Vonnegut

  9. #8
    Member LawFive's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    I recieved one of those once. One of my senior year teachers nominated every single one of his students. Wonder what he got out of the deal...
    The seven most magic words in all the land...
    "If, in the opinion of the referee,..."

  10. #9
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    I love these types of achievements one can get if they are willing to fork over the cash necessary. One girl from my high school had a big feature in the local paper because she was selected to go study abroad for something. Turns out she was selected but she also had to fork over a wad of cash to do it. I've never done any of those things I got growing up and I turned out ok (even got quite a few legitimate ones too).

  11. #10
    Titanic Struggles Caveat Emperor's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Quote Originally Posted by RFS62
    I was a Little Lebowski Junior Achiever.
    Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022

  12. #11
    Potential Lunch Winner Dom Heffner's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    I love these types of achievements one can get if they are willing to fork over the cash necessary.
    I remember getting an offer letter in college from the National Collegiate Scholars or something like that.

    They told me they only invite people in who are in the top 10% of their class.

    The more I thought about it, the more I realized I'm in the top 10% of my class, regardless of whether I get "accepted" with this group or not.

  13. #12
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Quote Originally Posted by deltachi8
    Sounds like the who's-who thing where you have to pay to get in the directory..IIRC.
    This is what I was thinking, too.

  14. #13
    smells of rich mahogany deltachi8's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    Quote Originally Posted by LawFive
    I recieved one of those once. One of my senior year teachers nominated every single one of his students. Wonder what he got out of the deal...
    A laurel and hearty handshake
    Nothing to see here. Please disperse.

  15. #14
    Plays The Right Way Hap's Avatar
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    Re: United States Achievement Academy (Scam???)

    I applied for dozens and dozens of scholarships and not once did I have to pay a single penny or purchase anything.
    .


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