<p>What schools send free t-shirts when you apply/get accepted? What is the craziest thing you have gotten from a college for being admitted?
I'm just curious, I think it's a great way to get students to view your school more highly (it sure would influence my decision!)</p>
<p>For S, so far this year. He only applied and got accepted at Alabama. He’s still working on all the other applications. But Bama sent him a certificate that looks like a diploma with his acceptance and a die cut sticker. Then they invited us to this reception in about 2 weeks. The reception is at an Aviation Museum and we get to meet some more admissions people. They’ll feed us hordurves, it’ll be interesting. It is invite only. We went to the invite only MIT one that was interesting too. Still working on that app. No tshirts yet though.</p>
<p>I like this topic.</p>
<p>The potential to get a $15 t-shirt would make you view a school more highly? You can’t be serious.</p>
<p>Pomona gives you a T-shirt!</p>
<p>Auburn Engineering sends you a t’shirt via the alumni association when you are accepted. You do have to respond via email saying you’d like to receive one.</p>
<p>I would rather be assured a single room in a modern clean dorm. (and I would pay for it)</p>
<p>
Colleges wouldn’t send them if it didn’t work. Check out the posters getting giddy about Chicago scarves, for example.</p>
<p>It takes a bit for a high school student to actually look deeper at a school and consider courses, what profs are researching (if applicable), and other such “academic” data. Many consider one school as good as another, so why not base their opinions on things like T shirts (or dorm rooms, or location, or their sports team, etc). The average teen just doesn’t have enough experience to go on to differentiate between schools.</p>
<p>For that matter, neither does the average parent. For them, pulling out the bells and whistles (red carpet) or finances tend to be the larger influence (though location also often counts a ton).</p>
<p>And for many, who solely need “a” degree rather than something specific, it really doesn’t matter. </p>
<p>Then there are those who wonder why they have “a” degree yet can’t find a job. Some (not all) of that can be attributed to where they went - NOT implying that the higher the ranking the better - rather - the “higher” the school for their major - and sometimes location - the better. How desirable/competitive the major is matters too.</p>
<p>But yeah, T shirts, dorm rooms, gym facilities, sports teams, special invites, fancy paperwork - they all “sell” a school - regardless of whether they should or not. It’s all part of the human psyche and lack of experience for what really should matter working together.</p>
<p>Maybe its just me but I dont think they means I am gonna go to this school over that because of a shirt. I think they mean something along the lines of the attention they show you and the resources. Idk</p>
<p>I think we’ve toured at least 30 schools between my 3 kids and received t-shirts from 2 after the tours. (Kids never applied to either school, but one kid does still wear the shirt to workout.) Once accepted, we’ve received a few window clings, but that’s it.</p>
<p>Free t-shirts? Is this something new? Between the two of them, my daughters were accepted at about 15 or 16 colleges, and none of them (including Pomona) sent a free t-shirt.</p>
<p>FWIW, when my son headed off to school he passed down the Auburn Tshirt to his younger brother. The perks - super suites, Tshirt, scholarship, honors college, red carpet, etc. - were great but he chose another university. His brother enjoys the Tshirt and would actually consider Auburn if they had not reduced their OOS merit scholarships the year after his older brother applied. </p>
<p>If perks draw a students attention to find that academic and research opportunities are the best fit there then that $15 was well worth it on the part of the university. Perks may draw a students interest however I do think in the end they choose the school that’s right for them.</p>
<p>Our locak community college gave tshirts during our visit. We also got them for University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for attending a film fetival. U of Minnesota Rochester gave us cookies, keychains and pictures with the mascott. </p>
<p>All of these were from visits.</p>