I’m not sure there is a defining point, but over time, higher education has become more of a commodity than a service to the individual, the community and the country. Even the language used today reflects that change. Colleges and universities speak of the “demographic cliff” and worry about future enrollments. They have spent millions on marketing, recruitment and chasing amenities that they are told through marketing firms will render their campuses more attractive to prospective students. The average cost today to land a student on campus in the U.S. is $2,849, according to Search Influence. Many Institutions are now spending around 10 percent of gross revenue on outreach to convince prospective students to enroll with them. Overall, higher education spends between $1.5 and 2 billion yearly to market and advertise their programs. With overcapacity at the undergraduate and graduate levels, schools increasingly push the envelope in marketing, with enticements such as significant tuition discounting for less selective schools and, now, among more selective institutions, especially if they hope to attract the most promising students.
Students on campus at the University of Maryland in College Park. Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun
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