Congressional Youth Leadership Council Junior National Young Leaders Conference Won't refund $350 down payment when you cancel ahead of time Vienna, Virginia

As the Vice President of Admissions for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC),  I am responding to this post.  We regret that the parent who is posting this message did not understand that travel to and from the program location is not included in tuition.

In the Information Booklet that was included with the nomination letter sent to this parent PRIOR to enrolling, it is clearly written under the large bolded heading titled TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, D.C., The cost of transportation to and from the Conference is not included in the conference tuition.  Due to the steep penalties for ticket cancellations, you should not make transportation arrangements until you have been officially notified of your scholars enrollment by CYLC.  In that same Information Booklet it is clearly stated under the large bolded heading titled TUITION, SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT FUNDRAISING, that Tuition includes all housing, instruction, and supervision by professional faculty advisors, program activities and sits visits, conference materials, breakfasts, lunches (with the exception of arrival and departure days), dinners and private motor coach transportation to all locations during the conference and is $1,890 for six days.  Scholars will need money only for lunches on arrival and departure days, souvenirs and other incidentals (phone calls, snacks, etc.).

This information is also posted on the program website on the program tuition page at http://www.cylc.org/jrnylc/JrNYLC_tuition.cfm (in the first paragraph) and http://www.cylc.org/jrnylc/JrNYLC_faq_parents.cfm (under "What does tuition cover?"). 

CYLC does require a cancellation fee, which is standard practice in the conference industry. This information is clearly stated in the same pre-enrollment Information Booklet under the bolded heading titled STUDENT CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS.  During the enrollment process, parents are provided with, and must consent to, the cancellation policy, before completing enrollment. You can view the provided Terms & Conditions with the cancellation policy at https://enroll.highachieving.net/accounts/register123/envtest/events/jrnylcfall2010/JrNYLC%20Non-PP%20App.pdf. 

Throughout its 25 years, CYLC has been committed to clearly stating tuition amounts and enrollment and cancellation policies, and to assisting parents and nominees with any questions they may have.  We provide parents with toll-free 800 numbers and e-mail addresses and encourage them to use these to contact us for any questions or assistance they may need.   

CYLC will enroll over 6,700 students in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference this year, and via our web site at http://www.cylc.org/, parents can review what the public, the media and parents, as well as students who have attended the program are saying, about the experience. 

CYLC is also proud to be accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and encourage all parents to view our rating with the Better Business Bureau at http://www.dc.bbb.org/codbrep.html?ID=7001305.

If you have questions or would like further information, please call (703) 584-9438. 

Thank you,

Karen Trendell
Vice President of Admissions