<p>So how about a thread discussing the college promotional materials? What's good, bad, eye-catching, etc.?</p>
<p>We received mail from 11 colleges yesterday, and two stood out:</p>
<p>Wofford College - a very interesting letter involving Plato's Allegory of the Cave. A nice deviation from the usual blather.</p>
<p>Macalester - included a listing of what to expect at Mac. Daughter particularly liked "8 friendly, tail-wagging campus dogs". Touches of irreverence mixed in with the boasting.</p>
<p>Univ of Chicago didn't fit in the mailbox (too long), Middlebury's little book was for hobbit hand's (football playing son's paws could barely turn the pages), Cal Tech's letter had a font size that was HUGE and tons of white space, and at least 20 of them have the exact same form that gets mailed back in or the online thingy. Indiana University looked like a prospectus from a maor corporation, the honors college. And NYU's started with "I'll be honest with you- NYU isn't for everyone."</p>
<p>The mailman brought our mail to the door, it didn't fit in the box yesterday. He was not happy. Been like this for about 4-5 days. Gonna be a fun spring!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>When son got his PSAT scores back in December, I expected a deluge, but he got next to nothing. I commented on this and he said he thought he might have checked the box saying he didn't want stuff, because we got so much last year that he hasn't really looked at. Well, they found us this week - 40 pieces this week. Wonder what next week will bring...</p>
<p>Yes, Shennie, I was wondering the same thing about three weeks ago, but voila! this week it has been 7-15 pieces every day. My son did check the box on the PSAT saying no mail, but I think there comes a point when you can't stop it.</p>
<p>We make a game out of going through the "love letters." S sorts them into various categories & we have a special place for the ones that make you put your own stamp on the return postcard!</p>
<p>Firefly, we also liked the Macalester approach. Most pretentious so far--Oberlin.<br>
And Kat, I'm thinking about baking our maillady some banana bread....</p>
<p>hahahaha</p>
<p>My son is going to graduate in 2007. He is in boarding school. But his permanent mailing address is for home. We have received mail from Ivies, Central Floirda and few LACs. Why they are mailing these letters now when they know he is 2007 class and few years away? </p>
<p>My question is what do you do with this junk mail. Do you register or toss out. I am thinking to mail them directly and asking will you offer "Merit Aid" or "Fin Aid". I think somebody in the university should make a decision as not to waste their resources and our time if they can not offer any financial aid to us. They better concentrate on some other students.</p>
<p>Yes, I got 16 peices of college mail 2 days ago, and 7 peices each day for 3 or 4 days. I knew it was coming, but at the same time I'm a bit shocked.</p>
<p>I threw all the college mail away. I was just too overwhelmed by how much I got.</p>
<p>Colgate and Tulane were two schools that just wouldn't give up. Colgate sent FOUR applications, along with periodic letters reminding me to send them in. Tulane took to mailing at least once a week for an extremely long time, and finally ended up calling and leaving a message on the answering machine.</p>
<p>I didn't apply to either.</p>
<p>My daughter is in 8th grade and is already getting mail. I guess they're trying to hook them before they learn about other places. She took the SAT as part of the CTY talent search and the letters are geared towards a middle schools student so they know her age.</p>
<p>I think one of the sad thing about getting all the college mail is that some parents think that means their kids will be accepted at those colleges. I went to a nearby state college today. (Report to follow soon) There was another Mom-daughter team on our tour and the Mom told me they were planning to go to Elizabethtown next and then Dickinson soon. When I said, "Wow! Those are some really different colleges, with price and feel and selectivity!" She said, "Well, we keep getting mail from all these schools, and yesterday we got one from Vassar so we're going to see that!" Of course, being unable to keep my mouth closed I told her that it was the colleges job to publicize their school so students would apply. Then I closed my mouth and just thought, but that doesn't mean they'll accept you. I know that we all know that but I really think this lady thought the mail meant her daughter could get in anywhere.</p>
<p>I must admit that I applied to some colleges many years ago because of mail I got from them. We did not apply to as many colleges as a rule in my day, but I had a batch because I needed money to go to a private school, and I did not want to go to the one inexpensive option I had. So the the college mail does get results.</p>
<p>This week only DD has receive over 30 college mailings. She is also getting mailings for summer programs on college campuses. She gets more mail these days than the rest of the family combined.</p>
<p>You guys are making me glad that my daughter didn't take the PSAT this year. (She's a junior, but was out of the country last fall). I'm just as glad we aren't getting all that mail. It was fun with my son, but we really didn't need it. I will admit that some of it was effective to catch my son's eye for some schools -- and some of the stuff was a lot of fun, even for colleges my son never considered. </p>
<p>But this time around I think I can do without filling several filing boxes with mail - I think whatever we do get will go straight to the recycling bin, unless it is stuff my daughter has specifically asked for.</p>
<p>My daughter has really liked the mail from Goucher - the first piece was kind of ordinary but she sent back the card. She is now receiving very nice little packets of pictures of the student body every month or so --- not hard sell, but definitely making her feel like she knows a bit more about who goes there (Lots of pictures that go against the grain of most college marketing materials - kids with piercings, punk hair, etc.).</p>
<p>After she sent the card back to Goucher, she has now been sending the cards back on mailings from other schools that might be possible fits - it seems as though the second (and third) rounds of mailings provide more useful information and also some special offers (i.e., live chats with admissions, etc.). So, my recommendation is --- if a school sounds like a fit, be sure to send in that reply card!</p>
<p>At this point, we're still enjoying looking at them to see if any have anything original to say. It's become a game similar to finding the hidden Mickeys at DisneyWorld. Still think that Skidmore has the most unusual campaign ("we want students that have failed"). Daughter is replying to a few, mostly the colleges she has visited, but also a few others. Large public universities are dismissed (although I check them out as potentials for my son).</p>
<p>i brielfly paged through some books, never opened any envelopes, put everything in a big box, and never looked at it again. i had so much mail that it was ridiculous.</p>
<p>I like the more detailed booklets rather than those intro letters. The problem is, if you express an interest- it becomes an all out assault on you by that college. Letters, solicitations, phone calls, invitations, I actually feel sorry for the colleges we eliminate early. You would not believe all the mail we are getting now, up to six pieces a day. And if you say, respond to that 'Vassar' all the comparable colleges jump on you also.</p>
<p>I mentioned on a different thread that my 9th grader has already begun getting college mail. Geez, it practically took a crane to get the boxes of mailings out of here from older s. (he kept about 1/2 of what came in the mail, though a lot was unopened.) He started in an organized fashion, putting them alphabetically in an accordian folder. When it busted open, he just got a large box and shot hoops with the mailings. After he got into college ED we took a picture of him throwing the huge pile of stuff up into the air. Great photo.</p>
<p>Younger son plans to put it all in the fireplace and put a match to it, so he's going to get a box today for the budding collection. Of course, this stuff he's getting now will be useless in a few years, but if the pile 'o stuff gets too big, he plans to lobby for a bonfire in the back yard.</p>
<p>Perhaps we're odd..Despite an ED acceptance we can't seem to bring ourselves to throw away many of the yearbooks and we've held on to a good number of the better intro letters. We've passed many along to friends and family who are looking a couple years ahead...</p>
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<blockquote> <p>After he got into college ED we took a picture of him throwing the huge pile of stuff up into the air. Great photo.>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>I love this idea! Maybe I'll do the same with DD when the time comes...Then I'll mail a color copy of the pic with a letter to the OTHER schools saying "You can stop now!!"</p>
<p>Hi, frazzleddad - love the name, of course. Hope things are less frazzle-inducing with the ED decision in. I figure I'll continue being frazzled until my youngest, now 14, is squared away. </p>
<p>A little afraid to admit this, but - my current senior has kept every promotional piece of mail she has received from any college for the past 2 years (2 enormous bins' worth). She decided early on that she would count and weigh it after her final decision is made. Can't wait to get rid of the stuff now that April 1 is approaching. I think I've seen the most mail from W & L and U Chicago this time around. When my oldest went through the process 4 years ago, the winner was definitely WUSTL.</p>