<p>My suspicion (not based on anything really, except intuition) is that the number of applications to a place like Harvard is not really very responsive to small changes in price. So if Harvard just wanted an extra five or ten percent revenue from applications, wouldnt it be a lot easier just to jack the price up by five or ten bucks, rather than trying to get more people to apply? I dont think many people say I would apply if it were only $75, but I just cant swing $80.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl </p>
<p>I really think Harvard, which solicits donations from alumni (and others), some of whom do not have kids headed for college, in part on its being a progressive institution that contributes to society, cannot afford to put itself forth that way, and to say (the way a University of Phoenix say, would) “we’re private, its a free market, like it or lump it”. They have every legal right (and arguably, ethical right) to do that of course, but the day they do, they lose at least some of the prestige that drives their success, and they begin to spiral downward. Their prestige is NOT based on their acceptance ratio (as some think) or on a conspiracy with USNWR, but on generations of living and acting and contributing in society in a certain way, especially since the Conant presidency. Ditto, more or less, for other prestige educational institutions. Acting in their own interests, and acting according to some notions of social justice and fairness are NOT orthogonal, at that level. That does not mean they can’t do things that are mainly in their own interests (like sending out marketing materials, or offering ED admits) but they have to at least have some defensible rationale, some way of reconciling it with their self proclaimed (and, I believe, often genuine) institutional principles, beyond “this is what the market will bare”. Maybe some second or third tier non profit can afford to be a Univ of Phoenix but with a tax exempt status. I am pretty sure the Ivies cannot.</p>
<p>Two separate issues here IMO. Whether they are making money is a minor issue to me. Got side tracked. I think they are given the numbers. Is it huge? I doubt it is in the scheme of things. </p>
<p>The real issue for me is that Harvard sent out three page letters complete with application forms. They didn’t not just direct kids to go on line to apply. That clearly misled some kids and their parents. I find it outrageous personally coming from a nonprofit organization that we the public entrusted to look out the public interest as well as their own.</p>
<p>PG Why should they be stopped? Because I feel that it is hurting already stressed out families. Unnecessary pain I would opposed if I could. Could they be stopped? No, I doubt it. Does it make it right? Not in my opinion.</p>
<p>I do not believe that the letters that Harvard and other colleges are sending out are meant for students or families that are stressed over college admissions.</p>
<p>Does anyone have a live example of one of these letters, with text? My feeling about whether that kind of letter is deceptive or not depends on the exact language they use. I don’t think they ought to say “We think you have what it takes to get into Harvard.” They don’t know that. But if they said “We think you* may* have what it takes to get into Harvard” or “We think you have what it takes to succeed at a top school,” those are very different sentiments, and I wouldn’t have a problem with either one.</p>
<p>Also, one crucial datum for these letters is the student’s ZIP code. Students don’t necessarily reveal their race or income to the College Board, but their ZIP code can provide a pretty good proxy. If they live in a neighborhood that’s mostly poor and black, it’s a fair bet that they are poor and black, and it’s justified to aggressively recruit a 600-scorer from that neighborhood. Kids in Lake Forest, IL should not get the same level of attention unless they’re scoring higher.</p>
<p>Actually zip codes (5 digit) are too big for the most part to tell who is applying. Now I do agree that Zip+ four is a good indication. BUt if someone was only using zip code, they would think all the kids in my neighborhood were struggling immigrant children when nothing could be further from the truth. In another area I lived in, my particular zip code encompased nice middle class homes, giant million + mansions, and one housing project plus one trailer park. Now the zip+four would quickly tell the school where the applicant came from which the zip code wouldn’t.</p>
<p>Yes, some codes are diverse. But others aren’t. There are many, many ZIP codes (and towns) that tell you a great deal about demographics. Just looking in my own home town, the ZIP code immediately north of me is 88% white and has a median family income of $131k. A few miles to the south, there’s a ZIP code that’s 98% black and the median household income is $33k.</p>
<p>Nothing is a perfect proxy, but when you’re looking at the addresses of a million-plus SAT-takers, that’s pretty strong data.</p>
<p>The following is an earlier post from umcp on page 2 or 3. Hope that helps. Poor neighborhood? Think not.</p>
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<p>I think you’re overvaluing Harvard’s importance in the scheme of institutions in the United States. At the end of the day, it’s a college. A very prestigious one, but it’s just a college. It’s not the Supreme Court or Congress. Anyway, I think Harvard is in no danger of diluting its prestige by sending out letters and / or apps to high-scoring seniors, no matter what socioeconomic status they come from.</p>
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<p>How do you know the recipient has no chance?</p>