I’m using CTCL now and I see some benefit to it.
“Marketing” is used in this thread with a negative connotation. Instead of viewing marketing as a negative gimmick, we can choose to view it as a necessary component of spreading the word about a good product. What good is a great sprocket if it’s made 2000 miles from me and has a weak distribution network? About as useful as a college that might be great for my child but I’ve never heard of.
Not every college in Fiske (and USNWR and other lists) is a good fit for every student. No one pretends that a student should apply to both MIT and St John’s College. And no one should expect every college in CTCL to be a fit for every student. That’s the wrong approach to any college guide. The guides present us with descriptions, and it’s up to each reader make proper use of each description.
My son and I have identified several colleges in CTCL that would be a fit for him. Much less than half, but a sizeable amount. I only wish I had come across (and actually started reading) the book earlier in the process. There are a couple of colleges that look like a good fit that we didn’t get the chance to apply to. But he’s already been accepted to one (the only CTCL college to respond so far) and with a very generous FinAid package.
Don’t forget, the Smokey The Bear campaign was a marketing gimmick also. That doesn’t mean it did not serve a very worthy purpose.