What to do with all that College Mail

It starts out small, probably during your sophomore year, with a college brochure or two. In the beginning, you eagerly look through them and then set them aside in a pile. Pretty soon that pile begins to grow and at one point you realize you are getting more mail than anyone else in your family. Over the course of your college search process you could receive up to 60 lbs. of college literature. You want to keep things organized, but you’re not sure where to start. We can help. 

Get yourself two boxes and label them as “Yes” and “Maybe.”  What about the No’s? The schools that aren’t even a possibility?  That’s easy. Those go right into the trash.  

“Yes” is for the brochures from schools that you are definitely interested in. These are the schools that have most of, if not all, the qualities you have identified as being most important in a school.

In the “Maybe” box, put the brochures from the schools that you’re curious about, but aren't sure you’re ready to consider. These could be schools that only have some of the qualities you are looking for, or schools you don’t know enough about to eliminate. You’ll want to spend some time sorting through the information in this box, doing some research on the schools to help you decide whether or not you want to move any of them into the “Yes” box or eliminate them.

Remember, that just because a school hasn’t found you with its materials, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek it out. Refer to your College Target List and write, call or e-mail schools that interest you.   Ask them to send you information and visit their websites to see if they have an online brochure you can look at or material to print out. If they don’t respond promptly, consider that part of your decision-making process by moving on to another school that is actively interested in you. 

Now wasn’t that easy?