All that sizzle is not steak

Funny what sells you on a product. Recently Dell introduced a line of notebook computers that had the great new feature of having colored cases. The new selling point was not the content: RAM, processor, video card, hard drive. Dell was selling the notebook computer on vanity. In a crowded market you seek any little point of difference to get your product noticed and if that difference costs next to nothing but adds value in the mind of the consumer... all the better.

Even beyond the arena of college football colleges sell the superfical. "Sell the sizzle not the steak," is the motto that applies here. A few schools have that reputation of aged prime beef, the Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke have and are selective about the student they admit. Most other schools fall somewhere between the reputation of the hallowed few and the local community college. The sales pitch here comes down to selling their niche.

If you have had the chore (after the third it becomes a chore) of taking you child to tour colleges, you will discover that the sales pitch for most schools is the food, dorm, and facilities. The education thing just seems to be secondary. You will be tritted through a clessroom or two but suprising little of the sales pitch is about the education. Talk to college bound high school seniors and you find that the feel of the campus is often a deciding factor and the the decsion was more one guided by emotion than cold logic.

Examples:
Salisbury University--The Commons Check out the hours and selection http://www.salisbury.edu/dining/commons.htm. The inside is equally impressive


James Madison University--Take the virtual tour starting with the rock climbing wall. http://www.ecampustours.com/VirtualTours/VirtualTourSub.aspx?FafsaCode=003721&ItemID=1

As for the price of the education? There is the list price (in state v. out of state) but then there is the scholarship game. The scholorship has been changed to meet the needs of the competitve college marketplace and now is commonly used as a discount to close the deal for a student that brings grades, SAT's, or another quality that the school finds desireable.

In Recruiters will stop at nothing to land a big-time player we get a glimp into the world of recruiting and the sell job put on to land the big time, 5 star, must have, can't miss player. While the process is different,the decsion is still often difficult and guided by emotion.

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This entry started out as an, Ode to the problem of the big time recruit, but as somtimes happens other thoughts invaded and the entry ends up going in another direction. Given the glaring attention given these youg men it is a miracle that they are not all so full of themselves as to be unbearable. Terrelle Pryor has hopefully kept perspective while grown men do there best at selling him on why ______________ is the best fit. For all players signing the all important letter of intent this week keep in mind that youth is fleeting and that the next level in your life will at some point involve using the college education you are playing for to make your way in the world. Forget the sizzle...buy the steak.