Chicago students and fans are always whining and moaning about how few people out in the real world recognize the high quality of the University of Chicago, etc. Personally, I think that’s sort of misplaced, and that the People Who Matter recognize the high quality of the University of Chicago plenty. However, all of Chicago’s efforts to attract more applications do double duty as a marketing effort to promote awareness of the College’s quality. It’s directed at people who are paying attention, and it’s successful even if people don’t apply, as long as it gets them to notice that Chicago provides a first-rate education and is a very desirable college destination.
That’s an almost unqualified good thing. It wouldn’t be good if what they were marketing wasn’t what was best about the University of Chicago, but I don’t think that’s the case.