College-bound students receive a lot of mail from colleges. Students and families may think these materials are just a good way to learn more about colleges, and that is partly correct. However, the viewbooks and publications students receive in the mail or pick up at college fairs are also marketing materials. Colleges and universities spend tens of thousands of dollars to produce, print and mail these items to prospective students.
The majority of college publications will have a few things in common. They will:
- Provide general information about the institution, including majors, location, admission requirements, cost of attendance and financial aid information.
- Present beautiful pictures of the college campus, usually showing the best weather the area has to offer.
- Show attractive students smiling at the camera and/or in deep discussion with other students or professors.
- Have catchy or inspirational phrases and themes used throughout the publication.
- Describe the location and all of the advantages the location offers students.
Most of the publications will be beautiful and eye-catching. They will boast about the institution and will make the reader want to attend. There will be no negative descriptions of the college. When looking at college publications, most people do not relate them to other advertisements that come in the mail. They are very similar to the catalogs that big corporations produce for consumers. The whole idea behind any marketing publications is to sell a product. In the case of colleges, the publications are trying to sell a four-year college degree and the experience that goes along with it. Much time, energy, and money goes into producing beautiful publications to wow prospective students and make them want to attend the institutions.
College viewbooks are beautiful and will make any college look great and give the feeling it is a wonderful place to attend. While all colleges have something special to offer students, they might not be the right fit for each student. College publications, websites, and any marketing materials will not tell students everything about a college. More importantly, although they do a great job of showing what the campus community is like, marketing materials cannot give students an understanding of how they will feel on campus.
Students should reach out to colleges and get viewbooks and publications from colleges they are considering. They provide a lot of information and can answer questions students may have as they are researching college options. In addition, signing up for college mailing lists lets colleges know students are interested and may provide information that is not available in the general publications or the website. However, as students dig deeper into the college search, they should visit colleges they are seriously considering. A college visit is the only way a student can get the full feeling of what the campus community is like and how they will feel on campus. Students should test drive colleges they are considering just as they would when purchasing a car. It is the only way to make sure students are making the right decision when making this large decision that will amount to a large purchase.
The next time those college publications come in the mail, remember they are marketing materials. Students should use them to education themselves about the colleges, but understand they will not give all of the answers students need. Viewing college viewbooks is a lot like window-shopping; students will only see what the colleges want them to see. After window-shopping and narrowing down what they like and dislike, students should move on to testing out the colleges for themselves by visiting the campus. The college visit is the best way to try the college out to make sure they feel it is a good fit for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment