Mailboxes, inboxes burst with college brochures, prompting worries of overkill

“Lucas Morales has what a lot of colleges are looking for.

Hes smart for starters ”” with good grades, good test scores, and eight Advanced Placement courses. Hes male, at a time when many colleges are struggling to recruit boys. Hes Hispanic. He comes from a low-population state, New Mexico, which would help most schools improve their geographic diversity.

So when the computers at college marketing and direct-mail outfits like Richmond-based Royall & Company come across students such as Morales, a personalized recruiting campaign ensues. Slick, carefully tailored brochures are printed and mailed. Following cues from students about how they communicate, colleges fire out e-mails, instant messages, phone calls and may even contact parents.”

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