RE: [Philmont]: 2006 Waiting List Status

>>It is also a possible factor that the lottery system is lowering the
commitment level on the waitlist as well as the treks awarded list.
Under the phone in system, the ones who did their homework, were really
committed to getting a slot and thought about how to "work" the phone in
system, could significantly improve their chances of getting a slot.
Thus, the ones who REALLY are committed to go to Philmont tended to
already have a slot, or be VERY low on the wait list, and did not drop
out. ... 2007 is the first year EVER that our troop failed to get a
trek. We worked the phone in system and managed every time under that
system.<<

Our troop worked the phone system with a battery of adults volunteering
to dial in for several hours for 12 years without ever getting through,
not even on the waiting list as the phone would default to a busy signal
even before you finished dialing, and I'm sure there are others like us
out there. Now you mentioned "work" the phone system and there may be
some inside technical tricks to get around the busy signals, but none of
us had the experience or savvy to know how to or the technical contacts
to get around it. Plus it seems a bit unrealistic to make such
knowledge a prerequisite to be able to participate in the program.

I'm not flaming or ranting as it was what it was. My comments are more
illustrate that for 12 years our troop didn't even appear on the wait
list and I'm sure there were many others. So the internet lottery
certainly has added more troops on to the list than did the phone
system. And perhaps they are more inexperienced troops with less
commitment (or understanding) and are dropping in higher numbers than
before with the phone waiting list. I was always amazed how some troops
managed to go to Philmont multiple times and we couldn't even get on the
waiting list. So perhaps there's some validity to your comment about
"working" the phone system and now those troops are randomly dispersed
throughout the waiting list.

The internet lottery system is not ideal, as Dr. Bob and others have
commented on in the past. But it's far better than the phone system. As
number 1,048 on the waiting list I knew we were not getting a trek in
2007. But at least I knew we got through and had a shot and that there
would be a chance next year, something we never felt in previous years.

BTW, as I mentioned in a previous post, it turns out we are going to
Philmont in 2007 on a Cavalcade Trek. So whoever has number 1,049...
You just moved one spot closer! :-)

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Received on Tue Feb 14 13:12:20 2006