<p>My Son is a sophomore in high school and he is receiving unsolicited mailing from schools. Most are from small private school within the state (Virginia) but he has also received mailings from the University of Tennessee. We toured Neyland Stadium last year I so that may be the connection. Other parents that I have spoke with are not receiving these mailings. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any ideas why?</p>
<p>Did he take the PSAT in the fall and check off the box that said (something like) I am interested in hearing from Colleges?</p>
<p>Yes, he did take the PSAT. He probalble did check the box . That makes sense. </p>
<p>It is just the beginning. You might as well get a box and put it by the front door. By the time we were done we threw away three disposable filing boxes.</p>
<p>Especially if our son did well, many trees will die as your son becomes on the receiving end of this marketing frenzy. </p>
<p>Some of these mailings/postcards won’t stop after our kid got into college. We still receive some/a few of these postcards. Not all of them are useless though, some of these colleges may be the right one for you even though you may not have heard of them before.</p>
<p>And these mailings are addressed to the 14-year-old, who may believe that a computer-personalized letter is the real thing. </p>
<p>Yes, don’t let his head be turned by this at all. These mailings are because he checked the box, and are strictly marketing materials. Keep his focus on grades, activities, and test scores for now, and use a book like the Fiske Guide to College and maybe a discussion with his guidance counselor to plan some campus visits during his junior year. </p>
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The ones that print the student’s first name in the brochure materials are especially insidious. It’s all computerized and doesn’t mean a darned thing.</p>
<p>Especially the ones from Ivy league Schools…my DD just got one from Yale…I told her that they just send those so you think they are interested and you will apply and increase the numbers of applicants so they have a lower acceptance ratio</p>
<p>I received a letter from Harvard and with my scores and GPA I would have no shot at that school so I don’t think that they mean much.</p>
<p>My two favorite ones so far (S is 15, sophomore):</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The multiple mailings from a private LAC, including the letter and brochure we received on Saturday. It says that if any of their staff is in his area, they’ll be sure to contact him. The LAC is located on the same road as our house, a half of a mile away. AND he already takes classes there through their young scholars program. Pure marketing.</p></li>
<li><p>The phone call at 8pm one night for him from a LAC in another state. I told the guy on the other end that the kid he is calling is a sophomore. “Well, isn’t he interested in learning about colleges?”. Um, not over the phone, no. Not at this point.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>These are mailing lists. You don’t think that Joe’s Dealership on Route 9 personally wants <em>you</em> to buy a Ford just because they send you a brochure. You don’t think that Bob’s Pizza on Main Street personally wants <em>you</em> to buy a 12-inch pepperoni pizza. You don’t think that Macy’s personally wants <em>you</em> to buy a kitchen appliance or bathrobe. So it’s beyond silly to think that these mailings mean that College X personally wants <em>you.</em> I don’t know why people would even think of these mailings as any different from any mailing list. It boggles my mind. Yes, even with the students. They see direct mail all the time; why would this be any different?</p>
<p>I’m still waiting for my first offer of merit pizza, and nothing you say is going to dissuade me from that dream. </p>
<p>S15 understands that these mailings are a joke, but his younger brother has been very impressed on his behalf-especially when a brochure came from Haverford and he initially thought it was Harvard. :)) @pizzagirl, your post is spot on! </p>
<p>You better hope for merit pizza because filling out the FAFPA and TSS (Free Application for Federal Pizza Aid and Topping Suitability Survey) is just a pain in the neck.</p>
<p>But is there a portal with a quiz to find the pizza toppings that best suit you? </p>
<p>Last night, I attended a panel discussion about admissions. A couple admissions counselor make fun of the maketing material. I reviewed the brochures and really believed thesed schools had wonderful weather every day and students of all races stood together in harmony. </p>