Branding Firms Target Aspiring Collegians
The New York Times has a fascinating piece about how self-marketing and branding has become part of the college application process and the extent to which kids are encouraged to sell themselves to schools rather than just present their CVs and see what happens.
From Joseph Berger's story:
"The language is pure Madison Avenue, but it is richly in vogue among paid counselors who advise students on how to make strong impressions with top-flight colleges. Package yourself, they say. Brand yourself.
One Manhattan boutique firm specializes in “the development of each client’s personal brand,” and other coaches adopt similar approaches, if in more discreet language. The price for their counseling services can be $4,000 and up.
Branding is a buzzword among corporations, and colleges, too, are desperate to distinguish themselves. And so the philosophy — some might call it an affliction — has filtered down to those applying to the most selective colleges. "
Click here to read the article in its entirety.