<p>Of all the colleges you or your s/d applied to, which ones had the best marketing to convince the student to attend? We have received personalized Christmas cards, letters from parents of current students, t-shirts, pins, etc. I like the personal touch but I'm not sure how much it impresses my daughter. The thing that impresses me most is how organized the school is...from the mailings, the phone calls, the tours & visits, the websites & so on. I think it gives you a good snapshot on how the college is run overall.</p>
<p>I found it to be a fine line. After being accepted to one school, S1 and I, (we both went on the tour), got T-shirts and thank you notes. S1 got phone calls from current students and the female (but not male) tour guide. He also got a steady stream of letters, notes and emails telling him what a great place “Whatsamatta U” was. After a while he felt that they came across as desperate and I started to think “How about cutting tuition a little instead of using all these resources to court an accepted student”.</p>
<p>The way the Admissions Office is run is not, IMHO, “a good snapshot on how the college is run overall.” I’ve been to colleges where the admissions office seemed disorganized but the course selection and reputation of the professors were very high. I think the way the Admissions Office is run shows you the way the Admissions Office is run.</p>
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<p>It may all just be random, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these places really double down on the love notes after they accept someone. At that point their rear end and their yield rate are on the line.</p>