If you’ve ever taken a PSAT, AP Exam, or another standardized test through College Board, you probably have seen them ask you about something called “Student Search Service.” The basic concept behind it is that if you mark ‘yes’ (meaning you’d like to participate) on standardized tests or emails, colleges will receive your basic info and be able to send you emails promoting their school. In theory, it seems like a great way to connect with colleges you may not have otherwise heard of.
However, as someone who has been a part of the Student Search Service for two years, there are simply way too many notifications. This year, I’m receiving five to ten emails from colleges every day, and that’s getting just a little bit excessive.
Here are a few examples of the emails I’ve received, along with my reviews and ratings:
- St. Mary’s College of California: Your not-so-subtle hint that we want you in our Class of 2028. (8/10): This email kicks things off well. The use of “you” in the subject heading makes me feel special, and it genuinely makes me interested in applying to their school; because who doesn’t apply to a college that wants them? They even provided a fee waiver code (meaning that I wouldn’t have to pay their application fee come application time), so that brings up the score tremendously, as multiple application fees can get very expensive, very fast.
- Seton Hall University: Don’t forget – Apply by November 15 to secure your $76,000 – $92,000 scholarship from Seton Hall (2/10): Okay, let me explain this low rating. I got this email only a couple of days ago, and when I read the subject heading, I was so excited! $76,000 dollars?! That could pay for years of college! And, from what it says, that money is already mine! But then you read the email itself and find out that you are simply eligible to win a scholarship, it’s not actually already yours. When I realized this, I felt lied to and extremely disheartened, so I’m giving it a low score for false advertising.
For a brief moment, I thought I was the proud owner of a $76,000 scholarship… (Photo Provided by Mia Kennedy ’24) - California Lutheran University: Where will you feel at home? (6/10): For most of these emails, the sender is just the university itself; but, for Cal Lutheran, the sender is always the admissions director herself. Fellow senior Isabella Walker shares her opinion on Emily, “I love my girl Emily Johnson from Cal Lutheran, although sometimes she is a little much, asking me, ‘Is this the right email?’ and telling me, ‘This is the right place for you.’ So, I’d probably give her [and her school] a 7/10.”
- Swarthmore College: sometimes fun begins with a silent “p” (9/10): This one’s just so weird that I had to rate it high. I first read it and was extremely confused. It’s not asking about signing up for a webinar or talking about their different financial aid packages — it’s simply promoting Swarthmore campus traditions. But that wacky subject header threw me off so much that I had to include it. It’s these weird ones that catch me off guard and actually make me want to read the full email (take notes marketing team).
- Florida Polytechnic University: Releasing Admission Decisions Soon (3/10): Now, I’d like to preface this by saying that I have no interest in attending college in Florida. However, reading that admission decisions are coming out soon, even to a school I didn’t actually apply to, is enough to freak me out. Having such a bold subject heading is risky, and it did not pay off. Rather than applying to Florida Poly, I am now just thinking of all the other schools I actually need to finish applications for.
Cal Lutheran’s college emails are always sent by Emily Johnson, the admissions college director. (Photo Provided by Mia Kennedy ’24)
These are just a few examples out of the hundreds of potential college emails that can flood your inbox through the Student Search Service. If you’re unsure about which colleges to look into, it can be a great way to connect with a lot of different schools from a lot of different places.
However, if you already have a general idea of where you are going to apply, it’s not something that will provide major benefits other than the occasional fee waiver. It’s honestly just personal preference, and it isn’t something that will make or break your college admissions process.
So, for anyone applying to or beginning to look at colleges, good luck — both with applying itself and managing all these quirky emails!
