Most upperclassmen will receive some sort of college promotion before heading off to college. Whether its from mandatory BigFuture signup or voluntary scholarship application, pesky college admissions officers will almost always be able to get their grubby hands on your personal information. Personally, I feel I have received enough paper mail to fill a bathtub at this point, and I’m only a junior. This is my personal ranking of the top five ways colleges have bribed me to apply to their school.
5. Booklet
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good book. But an interesting one. One that’s not trying to sell me something. College booklets waste paper, money, and my time. Personally, I do choose to read these mundane sales pitches. Booklets place last on my list for anti-environmentalism, waste of time, and
clogging up my trashcan.
4. Brochure
Now, since the brochure has less to read, it ranks higher on my list. The brochure typically folds out into a full sheet, and has both pictures and informational words. I appreciate the brief communication, and sometimes these brochures are a bit charming.
3. Conference invitations
This one might be a little obscure, but I am tired of the conference invitations. I feel like once a month I get an email regarding a 10,000$ leadership conference. In theory, I appreciate the invitation. But in reality, the invitations are to places out of state and are way out of my price range. Conference invitations make me more jealous than anything.
2.
Emails
My inbox has been full of college emails, even more so with admissions opening next year for rising seniors. I like that there is less paper waste with an email, but the amount of spam is overwhelming. However, sometimes the emails contain survey links, which sometime reward you with an Amazon or Google Play gift card upon completion. Even with the spam, the theoretical reward of a $5 gift card ranks it #2.
1. Stickers
Although rare, receiving a college sticker in the mail is, in my opinion, the holy grail of college communications.
The prospect of receiving a sticker makes every letter received have a suspenseful opening. Even if the sticker is ugly, I still appreciate the thought. Cheap college stickers make me want to spend 20k on tuition.
College communications, while sometimes over the top, are important. They provide a bridge for admissions officers and high schoolers to reach out and communicate. What’s your favorite way colleges reach out to you?