<p>I am a National Merit semi-finalist so I think that has something to do with me getting large quantities of mail from dozens of schools. UChicago's by far stands out as the most detailed and thorough, and it's definitely made me more interested. My question is...do they send the same letters and brochures to every other kid, just to boost applicant numbers? Or are they actually sending them as thoughtfully as they seem to be writing them?</p>
<p>I hate the thought of falling for the "we want YOU" trap if I'm just going to be denied in the end anyway....</p>
<p>Colleges get info on kids from PSAT, SAT, ACT, whatever. Some chose to do mass mailing.</p>
<p>I obviously don’t know what their exact methodology is, but I get mail from U of C too. I agree they do a good job. They don’t send them to the point of the spam, and the letters are very professional. I don’t know if I would read too much into them. </p>
<p>If youre a national merit semifinalist, you obviously aren’t dumb though. If you want to go there, apply!</p>
<p>Being NMSF doesn’t automatically make you special in Chicago’s eyes. Granted, it says a thing or two about your academic abilities but you have to be a lot more than that for Chicago to really want you. </p>
<p>I’m convinced that your mail is part of routine mailings to others with similar stats.</p>
<p>Chicago buys the same mailing lists everyone else does, and mails to the same people.</p>
<p>The difference – at least in the past – is that the materials Chicago sends out are not generic, but give a pretty good idea of what the university is like. They don’t try to appeal to everyone, and they do try to engage students who are intrigued by their materials in some kind of ongoing conversation.</p>
<p>Are they trying to get more people to apply? Sure. But they are trying to get more people who would really appreciate the University of Chicago to apply. (Application numbers have almost doubled in the past 6-7 years, but there are still a lot more people out there who would like Chicago and benefit from going there than apply.) That’s not at all the same thing as trying to boost application numbers just to have a lower admission rate and improve your USNWR ranking. I think their marketing effort is well-designed to attract applications from appropriate candidates.</p>
<p>Though the lower admissions rates and improved USNWR rankings result as a side product. I’m very inclined to believe what JHS has said. One of the reasons why I’m applying EA to Chicago is for its very quality of being a school that doesn’t scream its name out loud but whispers it instead, into all the right ears.</p>
<p>If you’re NMSF, heck, you’re the kind of kid Chicago (and many other schools) are interested in. May they end up saying no? Yeah. But I’d say it’s less likely to happen then the average Joe applicant.</p>
<p>It was a running joke at our home when the mailbox contained another UChicago mailing. It seemed like every other week we were getting something. The materials were unique and made an impact. UChicago was not on my son’s application list. One day in December, he turned to me and asked, “hey dad, should I apply to the university of Chicago?”. I said, “sure, what’s another $75.00”, half jokingly. Well he was accepted and went to the accepted student’s weekend and absolutely loved it. He is now a 2nd year. They use the same mailing lists but tI think he nature of the materials they send out is meant to appeal to the kind of student who would apply.</p>