Here is some hope for the smarties on this board
 

So HOW gullible are my fellow grad school applicants supposed to be? We'll go somewhere because they call us or send us a flash animation? What, are the admissions folks nuts?

You know what will get me to go to School X: One, they have to admit me. Two, show me the money. After all, I'm only applying to schools I want to attend anyway - and I'm not going to make money with my degree, so low debt is paramount.

So gee, do I go for the fellowship or the school with the personalized stationary? :rolleyes:

Some people might actually want to go to those school so it would benifit them.

Yeah, but if I WANT to go to school X, I'm going to go if I get in regardless of whether or not they make a flash website about it! And if I don't want to, if it's not my first choice, I still won't go unless I don't get in where I really want to.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with cute or personal touches. But this article makes it sound like if the school calls their acceptees instead of sending a letter, enrollment will soar. I doubt it will really have a serious impact on enrollment.

I'm not 100% sure it's an issue of being "gullible"...
 

Okay, since I'm in the process of applying to professional schools, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what's going on. The schools that can afford to do this--Boalt being a prime example--have more than enough money to fund most of their class, so it's not a choice between fellowships and out-of-state trips. I'm telling you, if my first choice accepted me AND offered to fly me out/called me/etc, you BET I'm going.

The schools know what they're doing, especially top-rate state schools like Berkeley, who have to compete with the Harvards and Yales for top applicants--and have to do that much more. More power to them.

Maybe I should switch to business or law, instead of architecture. :confused: