Contacting an NPHC org national headquarters

[1stSoon2BePhD]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

So.... I was just thinking....

There are always a lot of people who post questions about NPHC membership. I would like to ask any aspirants or lurkers why they don't contact the national headquarters of the organization they want to join?

For those of us who already made it, why didn't we contact the national office? Or did we?

Are people afraid that they will track down aspirants via caller ID and then blackball them for asking a question?

I'm just trying to understand the perception that exists.

Full disclosure: I contacted the District Director when I was an aspirant and he never got back to me. After I got in contact with members of the chapter I wanted to pursue, everything turned out okay.

ETA: The District Directors are elected, volunteer positions. I never found it necessary to contact paid staff working at headquarters.

I called XYZ headquarters, asked about membership, was told by the secretary "I will connect you. Hold please...", and was sent to someone's voice mailbox. I never got a call back, but I realized later that I forgot to use my resources properly and I just asked my mother-in-law and sister-in-law (members of XYZ) for the information I needed.

I didn't think so before, but now I don't think it is headquarters job to answer certain questions. (ETA: Nor do I think it's the responsibility of org members in online forums to answer questions for aspirants, but that's just my opinion) Since you are supposed to know members of the org before joining, it's much easier to get answers from the members you already know. If they feel that you'll be an asset, you'll be surprised how much they will help you!