<p>FC,</p>
<p>Yes. as it stands now, my opinion does not trump yours based on any empirical hard evidence. </p>
<p>I was just using some common psychology and easily observable business marketing/sales phenomena.</p>
<p>I do believe though that college is a “product” people buy. All commonly observed marketing psychology can easily be applied here. Harvard et all are operating in a seller’s market. Third tier universities are operating in a buyer’s market. Most colleges and universities would rather be in a seller’s market rather than a buyer’s market (like any other business man/woman with a product to sell). </p>
<p>One of the easiest way to transition from a buyer’s market to the seller’s market is to create a huge demand that outstrips the supply. One of the easiest way to create a demand is to increase the “perception” of prestige. </p>
<p>When you look at it from this perspective, you can see why universities and colleges are hell bent on sending all these marketing materials to students, sending admissions officers all over the country, provide a “VIP” application path with waived application fee, etc. </p>
<p>Yield management tactics should also be put into this context.</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, the more I learn about this whole college application and admissions game, the more I realize that we are all involved in a marketing and sales transaction, and they should drop the pretense that this is some sort of a noble operations a la Ivory Tower spirit and we should lose any naivete that schools have the applicants interest at heart.</p>