Many high schools host a college fair, providing students with direct access to a variety of local, out-of-state and international learning institutions. When I was assessing colleges, I took the college fair opportunity visit with any school that interested me. By the end of the fair, I signed up to receive information from ten different universities. From that point forward, they bombarded my email and mailbox with recruitment material. But of the ten, only one college marketed to me with all the right components that make me not just apply, but also accept.

The Approach

Texas Christian University – it’s not too big, it’s not too small, it’s just right. Coming from a private school with 120 graduating seniors, I was accustomed to a small-sized learning environment. I was used to this dynamic, but I still was not sure if going to a small college was the right choice for me. At the college fair, I spoke about this with the TCU representative.

When I started receiving mail from TCU, my informational packet contained a handwritten note from the TCU representative I met. The note talked about how a smaller population meant a more personal connection with other students, professors, and alumni. This personal gesture showed me that TCU remembered me and cared about my concern.

The Visit

I took a campus tour of TCU, since none of the other schools I was interested in took the time to send me a personalized message. On the tour, our guide escorted my group around campus highlighting the beautiful Horn Frog environment. After the tour, I took a private tour of the freshman dorm rooms. I appreciated that they offered this. It helped me view their living quarters as my potential new home.

It also did not hurt that all the dorms were newly renovated, had close parking for residents, and laundry service available. That’s when I knew that smaller schools could offer more than I expected.TCU made the college experience luxurious.

The Decision

After my visit, I applied to TCU. The university emailed me a few days after I completed the application, conveying their excitement about my decision to apply. Again, TCU won me over by making each interaction personal. No other school had truly made me feel like I would be more than just another student. TCU consistently worked to build a customized experience for me.

When I received the huge envelope saying, “Congratulations Mariah”, I had no doubt that TCU was the school for me.

As my senior year in high school approaches, the big question that virtually everyone continually asks me about my future can no longer be deferred. It’s time to face that big question – where do I want to go to college?

In trying to answer it, this summer I have focused on two things:

* What major/career do I want to pursue?

* Where is the best place to spend my college years?

I spent countless hours researching colleges and began taking college tour road trips while keeping up with my internship and summer jobs. Our mailbox is full of clever brochures, and every night the phone is ringing with some admissions telemarketer asking to speak to Sarah Krueger.

Interning at Front Porch Marketing has given me an interesting perspective – I am noticing how colleges are marketing to ME. By learning about marketing first-hand here on the Porch, I recognize why many college tours and visits seem so similar. There seems to be a shared formula for colleges trying to sell their school to potential freshman.

I find myself getting a little weary with the tours because they are all so similar:

• SAME questions posed to students on the tour
• SAME highlights and stories of surprisingly similar campus traditions, and
• SAME rehearsed answers from tour guides.

Speaking on behalf of my generation, we are a difficult bunch to market to because we have high expectations and we are looking for new and unique. We also can see through the bold, big and bright letters and slick pictures.

If I were giving these colleges presentation marketing advice, I think it would sound very similar to what we would tell our client partners:

Don’t Sound Rehearsed. Now, I’m not saying that you should wing your entire presentation, but don’t fall victim to make it sound exactly the same every time you give it. Mix it up. Hearing and presenting the same sales pitch not only bores your audience, but it bores you too, and it shows.

Make It More Personal. I want to hear more personal perspective from these college representatives. Find a way to personally connect with your audience. Find a happy medium between striking an emotional chord and being informative.

Don’t Oversell Yourself. If you’re trying too hard, it’s apparent. Don’t. Your product should be doing the talking. Focus on the key points of your product/presentation, and then let your audience explore the details.

Don’t Talk Down to Your Audience. Treat your audience with respect. Nobody wants to be spoon-fed information.

No matter what college I choose, I know that my time at Front Porch Marketing will serve me well in the next phase of my life. Rock on!

Sarah Krueger is a rising senior at Ursuline Academy. As our summer intern, she blogged, grew social media networks, assisted with research and worked on marketing projects.