UCLA acceptance letter needs face lift

One afternoon, two letters arrive in the mail with invitations
to two grand balls. One is a golden envelope filled with numerous
details explaining why one should go. The other is an standard
letter envelope with a single white page filled with sparse
details. If the balls were on the same night, where would you
decide to go?

The same thoughts will most likely run through a high school
senior’s head when acceptance letters from UCLA and USC
arrive at the door.

While an acceptance to UCLA is a great honor in itself, in the
savvy, advertisement-filled world of today’s students, most
of which have other prestigious offers of admission, a new level of
effort and persuasion is needed by UCLA to entice students to
attend.

UCLA’s acceptance package is just like the latter in the
above scenario: a plain white sheet of paper folded into a small,
unassuming envelope. The letter lists a few basic facts about UCLA,
such as its size, resources and just like every other
university’s admission letter, how difficult it was to get
in.

Students are then given an address to a Web site where they can
make reservations to attend a college welcome day and instructions
in order to satisfy additional admissions requirements.

Apart from the contents of the letter, it is virtually identical
to the one received by students who have been denied admission.

A strategically designed acceptance letter is something many
other universities have wisely designed and marketed to their
admitted students. They serve not only as a congratulations, but as
one of the best reasons why students should attend the
university.

Just like real life, first impressions are key. If students are
not captivated by the acceptance letter, it is unlikely that
they’ll seek out more information as to why they should
attend.

The USC acceptance package arrives in a large, colored envelope.
Inside a folder, students find a formal welcome letter, a gold
certificate signed by the provost, a guide to life at USC, and
movie theater-style tickets offering them free admission and
parking at an admitted-student “exploration day.”

Similarly, students admitted to UC Berkeley receive a large
envelope with a blue lithograph of the campanile. Inside, students
find a display-quality blue folder with a locking clasp containing
a certificate emphasizing the student’s accomplishment. UC
Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Davis and UC Irvine have also
jumped on the bandwagon, sending large envelopes and certificates
to their admitted students. Even the fledgling UC Merced managed to
put a team together to design a high-quality acceptance
package.

Many students already know that if they get in they will attend
UCLA. However, they deserve a better acceptance letter. After
putting in years of hard work to get in, the letter should become a
keepsake that students treasure and share with their family and
friends. Nobody wants to hang what looks like a credit card bill on
the refrigerator.

Fortunately, UCLA doesn’t have a shortage of amazing
assets that could be included as part of an acceptance letter. A
beautiful certificate with the image of Royce Hall in the
background, a brochure featuring photos of Westwood and Janss
Steps, and a collage with photos of the brand-new dorms and
top-rated dorm food are only a few of the things that could be
included in the package.

Aesthetics aside, the letter’s factual content could also
be revised. The current admission letter greets students with the
following paragraph: “UCLA truly is a world-class university.
Here you will have access to acclaimed academic departments, a
world-renowned facility, and distinctive research
programs.”

While these are legitimate reasons to attend UCLA, the assets
mentioned are common to virtually every top research university in
the county.

Instead, a revised letter could include facts that set UCLA
apart from its competition. Guaranteed housing for four years, an
unbeatable climate, low crime rates and an expansive undergraduate
honors program are just a few examples of how UCLA has Berkeley
beat.

It’s time the admissions office kicked things up a notch.
UCLA needs an acceptance letter that will do this amazing
university justice. We are currently missing an opportunity to
welcome new students to the Bruin family.

Noble is a first-year communication studies and anthropology
student.