I have read several articles about people emailing a long list of colleges with hopes of being sent free merchandise and receiving shirts and mail. Recently, I emailed the admissions offices of all of the schools that I am applying to with the same question, but most have responded with a no so far, and I am waiting to receive a response from the rest. I also emailed UChicago because i am considering applying and I have heard of people receiving shirts from them, but I cannot think of any other examples of this. I am really just looking for college shirts or merchandise in general. Does anyone know of any examples of colleges that do this?
Huh. The only free t-shirt my daughter received was on admitted students day, and I think she also got one during welcome week. We certainly didn’t get anything on any of the college tours, which presumably would have a higher chance /show a higher level of interest in the college than just emailing admissions.
My kid got free t-shirts at a couple of admitted student days. When he paid his deposit at the school he chose to attend, they sent a t shirt. But none just for visiting or requesting info.
Florida Southern gave one for just visiting. Daughter ended up at a rival school and that shirt went right to Goodwill.
My daughter was a recruited athlete so could only receive the same swag as offered to all other applicants, visitors, or just sent out from admissions. At one school we got sunglasses, at another a water bottle, one sent a very nice calendar (smart - had all due dates on it), chapstik.
Other daughter went to a ‘Pass’ day and got a football ticket (worth $30), t-shirt, and a bag-o-swag from admissions and from a lot of student organizations - pencils and pens (a really cool multicolored pen), stress squeezies, bags, hats, candy - condoms!
Marquette gives a shirt at the tour. Haven’t seen that elsewhere yet. Got some stickers at a college fair.
No free t-shirt just for expressing interest. Kiddo got one at admitted students day and another one during new student orientation.
My son wouldn’t even let me buy him a shirt at any of his top choice schools when we toured. He figures once he makes the choice he’s not going to want to wear the runner up shirts, so why waste the money.
Fairfield gave my D a free t-shirt just for touring. (BTW, she did not end up there).
I would imagine colleges receive thousands of email inquiries. I can’t see them just sending out t-shirts for that.
My D got shirts at 3 of the schools we toured. One school even gave them to her brothers that were tagging along on the tour. None for Mom or Dad though!
A friend’s son got a shirt and other swag from a school that was wooing him. I’ve never heard of this outside of that kind of situation. The idea that you would bother Admissions with this sort of request doesn’t make any sense. Contact the Public Relations/Marketing department, right?
There’s a saying on a popular travel forum “you want first class, you buy first class.” The same applies here, but replace “first class” with “college clothing.”
New College of Florida did give everyone in our family a t-shirt as a “reward” for taking a tour, but they didn’t mail out shirts to us when my daughter first expressed interest, and why would they?