In a society that is increasingly focused on academic success and college degrees, many students view a post-secondary education as their only direction toward a successful future. Despite that, many colleges have prioritized corporatization and financial success over the long-term benefit of students, which is evident in the increasing use of relentless marketing through daily unsolicited emails and mailed brochures. Aimed at prospective students each year, it indicates that colleges are more focused on revenue than the authentic well-being of students regardless of whether or not they enroll in the school.
Over the past decade, college tuition rates have greatly increased, leading many students to reconsider the benefits of a 4-year degree. In California, the University of California School of Colleges and California State University System are supposed to prioritize in-state students with affordable, low-cost rates compared to their out-of-state counterparts. In recent years, these formally reliable options have become increasingly unaffordable.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “UC’s estimated 2022-23 cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, and other expenses, is $38,504,” while CSUs are marginally cheaper at $30,676. These rising costs, even from in-state options, create a financial barrier to the state supported college experience, forcing many students to take loans and deepen their financial trouble.
Although the pressure of paying off college during their final years in high school is ever-present, numerous students also have begun to receive unsolicited emails and letters from colleges across the United States daily, many of which are unknown to the recipient. Containing information such as application due dates, the stream of emails and postcards often also advertise the statistics on graduates’ success or achievements in an attempt to grab students’ attention.
The Washington Post reported that “Many selective private nonprofits channel millions of dollars into advertising. Schools like Johns Hopkins University and New York University spend over $28.5 million; the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern, and the University of Miami all spend over 20 million each.”
The emphasis on marketing, even from schools, creates a sense of competition, pushing students to apply to as many colleges as possible regardless of their slim chance of getting in. Colleges use marketing schemes to entice students to the programs they offer, bringing up success rates as a constant reminder of the benefits of applying. The persistence of possible opportunities in the future baits many potential students into applying even if the schools have limited spots or competitive applications.
Aggressive marketing demonstrates how colleges have begun to operate like businesses, fighting for the highest number of applications regardless of the prestige or presumed value of the school. By encouraging more students to apply, it allows them to lower their acceptance rates, which boosts metrics used by the U.S. News & World Report to rank colleges. Additionally, more applications often translate to additional money for colleges through high application fees, allowing them to gain an extra stream of income. This finance-focused tactic is indicative of the commercialized approach taken by schools, prioritizing financial gain over student success.
As colleges spend more and more money on marketing and driving up tuition costs, many students ask if the institutions are focusing on the student’s needs or focused on their own profit. The prioritization of higher education towards becoming profitable shows how education is becoming more and more of a business, headlined by the extreme marketing tactics employed by colleges. Ultimately, shifting the focus of colleges from profit-based policies to more affordable education involves increasing funding for scholarships, while decreasing spending on marketing. By prioritizing student finances over gratuitous advertising, the American university is returned to a student-focused system rather than a business profiting off students.