College recruiters please take note...
For over a year, my daughter has both received unsolicited slick glossy college brochures from all over the U.S. She noted most brochures look the same:
"They all have at least one photo of diverse students smiling on the quad, a photo of a student and professor all seriously interacting over a bunch of beakers, and oh of course, a beautiful tower ensconced with ivy. They all look too similar," she said as she tossed 'em into the trash.
That is until a brochure from Appalachian came in the mail. It was cardboard-colored and heavily decorated with graphic designs.
She fingered the brochure and to my amazement, actually read it instead of tossing it aside.
"Finally, here is a brochure which tells me exactly the facts I need to know about the school," she said as she held it up in triumph. Upon further prodding she told me how she looks at potential schools:
"I want to know about the school's programs, preferably in a bullet format, and then I want to know if I have a chance at getting in. If a school has a strong music and exercise science department, that is all I want to know except of course, how to pronounce it's name and where it is geographically located. The rest I can find online if I am interested."
With that said, she probably won't attend my alma mater because it is so close to home. But I haven't given up hope.
This weekend she received her first acceptance letter in the mail and was instantly relieved,
"At least I know I will go to school somewhere,"she said.
I was content that the school was neither Furman or WCU because it would just plain hurt to go to those purple schools.
The school, one of her 'safety' schools, is excellent but doesn't carry the prestigious image as other places she has applied. Her perception of the university changed last night. Out of the blue she received a call on her cell phone from a professor in the department she is interested in. He talked to her for ten minutes about her educational hopes and dreams. He wants to meet her and looks forward to showing her the department and introducing her to students of the university. In one simple contact, my child is suddenly intrigued with the idea of attending the school.
Within 48 hours of acceptance notice, a real live human being reaches out to speak directly with a potential student. Extraordinary marketing? Yes, I think it is somewhat outside of the normal 'college demand-side arrogance' box of thinking. And it just might work...
Oh, and a tip from a parent's point of view---those damn endless college emails spams are annoying. I beg of you, make them go away, please?
