I think that the information is valuable to future students. I know the information was valuable to me when Iooked at the “Big Book” of college info for each of my kids. It gave the real life outcomes of applications with whatever hooks etc were noted and the outcomes, including financial aid and merit awards. Financial aid was just % need met as defined by FAFSA EFC and a composite figure for the schools listed. The information was not complete as some did not want to share the info with GCs but the info was verified.
In order to verify the merit awards as well as actual admissions status–Accepted, WL, Rejected, early or regular, deferred and then outcome, the actual letters were requested or info not used. That was because, sadly, people lie. So in order to have this information useful to others, it has to be verified. It’s each student, and family’s business as to whether they want to share this information, but with the schools I know, it’s for a good cause. I shared because I wanted to give back the info that was useful to us.
The info also gave accolades to those students who did get merit money, because the info was noted at certain award ceremonies and at one school, on the graduation program. Again, all of this only with expressed permission of student and parent. The consolidated numbers were used as “brags”, yes in marketing. Those totals, IMO, are not as useful. as the info in the “Big Book”, in fact, hardly useful at all. THe amounts attributed to the actual students in the programs were also very valuable to those parents who were going into the process. When you see a kid you know has gotten $25K from School A and $5K from School B, you can get some idea of the process at those schools and perhaps mentally list them for future use.