How American Colleges and Universities use Branding/ Design PR, to Sneakily Warp the Perceptions of Their TRUE Value and Fill their Pockets

Why do people in the US spend thousands of dollars on tutoring /college planning to get a fat envelope from Harvard?

Is it because of the actual level of skill of the professors, the culture of the college and universities? These are all good guesses. But they fail in comparison to the main thing that drives them all BRAND. Colleges from the high and mighty ivy leagues to the state schools all want students, but they themselves lack value so what they do is create perception of it.

Branding and design has been huge in influencing the minds of the American Public about the value of education and specifically institutions. Without this perception of value lots of schools would be undifferentiated , and value would be the same all across the board. And no particular college or university would hold much of the power or consumer attention of the parents and students. And in turn this perception causes another sub market to surge up from this, education businesses that support this university branding machine. These are tutors and college consultants. Tutors from the very private one on one tutors, the online tutors , to the specific test prep centers. These businesses popped up because of lack of quality education in the school in the first place and the high incentive to get a kid into college. These are the Market Demands that have been created because from elementary to high school the schools , the teachers , the principals , not to blame one or the other entirely could not prepare the child for what's ahead in life, this means it's broken.

If kids can’t come up, ready to either go to college or get a job, then it means they need extra help, and in this crisis. That’s where the alternative market appears, to help fill and plug the gaps of failing systems while supporting the failing systems themselves. If colleges and schools create and perpetuate brands , and market share in the customers' (parents/ students ) mind, the college planners work only to make sure the kid gets into the school , not to game the system, but figure out the loopholes and use them to their advantage to help the parents.

This whitepaper will explore the idea of branding inside of the schools of the US education system and what has been the effect of viewing the value of school differently through school marketing ,the brainwashing and status seeking that parents are driven by , and the sub market of education businesses that have come out of that to supplement a failing system ,how its doing the jobs schools can’t and how in the future these alternatives will become the norm. 

The history of higher education and universities in the US

not just about enrollments but about learning and what the student needs

If you to look at the history of higher education branding, an overview of why universities exist in the first place is important. The first concept of university arose around the year 1088 in Bologna. A city famous for its legal scholars, attracting an international body of students. However, the students felt they were exploited by the town, so they banded together to form an organization which would protect their common interests. This organization, or student union, was what formed the basis of the very first university in history. In fact, the ideal university back then was closer to our current expectations of what a university should be. Something for the student by the student and their interests...

That pioneering university (or student union) in Bologna became an intellectual guild that was in favor of the students interests and motivations .

The idea of university was not linked to commercialism back then. The American economic boom in the 1920s played a big part in marrying the idea of universities and commerce together. In the 1920s, many industrial factories popped up and businessmen realized they needed properly trained and skilled manpower to run their operations. The trained staff also had to be obedient and not too bright that they opposed their employers. The education sector was thus geared towards preparing its students for the working world. This can be seen in several parts of school not just higher ed . The school bell is akin to the worker’s bell (signaling break time) and students were usually made to passively absorb the sermon-like teachings of their teachers, much like how employers took a top-down approach in managing their staff. Various methods of motivation and reward systems were put in place to encourage students and workers to fit in to certain behaviors which benefited authorities. The combination of education with commercialism created a vacuum where key knowledge and behaviors were learnt, encouraging students to be an outstanding citizen of American society and a good worker. 

Over time, the link between businesses and colleges became stronger. Businessmen who founded colleges realized it was important to create school programs that prepared students for employment. Universities were thus mainly for training people into functional working members of the world. This was not a bad thing, as work provides a sense of purpose to the lives of many and enables the advancement of society. Businesses needed workers as much as workers needed businesses themselves, forming a symbiotic relationship, especially during the “baby boomer era”. Also, changing social, political and environmental circumstances have now skewed the perception of college education in America.

The traditional concept of higher education does not appear to fit into today’s contexts. Fifty years ago, a college graduate was pretty much assured a middle-class lifestyle or better. This isn’t the case now. To understand how this happened, we must look at how businesses got involved with American universities. Between 1880 to 1910 – also known as the “decades of industry” – many universities popped up in the United States. More industry leaders had taken seats in the Board of Directors of colleges. Their presence ensured that questions like, “Why can’t a college be run like a business?”, were brought up in meetings. These industry leaders saw the economic potential of colleges as money-making machines in themselves and not places where students learned important skills, in other words they got GREEDY

hmmm. I wonder what their planning...

Globalization enabled the accumulation of great wealth, especially amongst prominent figures and gave rise to more discretionary income. This led to affluent people giving out more donations to colleges. It became tradition for successful alumni, of whom many became civic and business leaders, to give back to their alma mater generously. Some even gave large donations to non-related colleges. There were vested interests in education, leading to the air of elitism surrounding universities.

Then came the golden age of illustrated magazines also enabled institutes to build connections and networks with affluent people, and exercise public relations strategies to showcase the physical beauty of their college campuses to the American public eye. This kick-started higher education branding and value perception in the minds of Americans everywhere.  

As the influence of higher education grew in America, especially for those in the Ivy League, universities began to sell lofty ideals surrounding status and financial security. Increasingly, social status became tied to education levels and occupation. If a student went to Harvard, he had the chance of becoming the next American president; if he went to Yale instead, he would be able to connect with exemplary business owners. Essentially, colleges today are selling the dream of social mobility without providing assurance. It can be a win-win situation for the institutions since they would still make a profit even if their students were unable to secure a job. Success is the sole responsibility of the student, and universities are not required to provide desired results. The business model of education institutes is concerned with successful enrollment of students (meaning profits) and less with the student’s goals. 

The results of this commercial direction appeared since the 1930s, where tuition fee prices at private schools began to rapidly increase. In fact, the average tuition fee nearly doubled from $70 (a value of around $600 today) to $133 (a value of around $1,100 today) between 1920 and 1940. Of course, the tuition fees for Ivy League schools were even more expensive. This change came during the Great Depression, where all but a small percentage of American families were able to afford private schools. The widening income gaps between the rich and the working class created a disconnect between the elite colleges and the general consumer. This trend continued on to the 1980s, as private universities continued their tuition fee hikes. Interestingly, state schools were now following suit due to government-funding cuts. This caused more than half of first-time college freshmen to enroll into community colleges instead. In spite of this, The dominant image of the ‘real college experience’ remained indelibly linked to the four-year, full time residential tradition.”(Thelin )

Further links between price and prestige are found with what is called the Mt. Holyoke phenomenon, where universities with higher tuition fees experienced a greater number of applications from students who had a higher academic performance. This phenomenon banked on the social construct where a higher price equals prestige for students and their parents. The idea has not abated. Today, a typical college tuition fee has a range of US$50,000 - US$60,000 a year. Many students who do not have a full scholarship are unable to enroll in colleges. 

To reduce resistance to the high prices of education, many universities used branding to create value in the offerings. Ivy League universities are notorious for this, but of course other colleges employ several other methods of differentiation (such as familiarity, ideology). With branding as a key tool, colleges can warp your perception of themselves, to their benefit putting money into their pockets and out of yours.

Deconstructing higher education branding and observing the underlying symbols and ideas of influence

you've seen this all your life and you never thought to question the symbolism

Branding involves the use of illusions, which universities use to sell dreams rather than an actual valuable product. If universities were successful in creating perceived value not real value for their customers, then they were more likely to convince parents to enroll their child in their school. At the top of this branding process is design.

Aesthetically, we can see a lot of colleges and universities using a variety of different logos. The state schools opt for more of a fun, local feel, while private and prestigious colleges go for a more regal look. For example, the Ivy League’s logo has a more heraldic touch to it, which makes members of the league feel as though they have been accepted into an elite society. Arthur Charles Fox-Davis discusses this in “A Complete Guide to Heraldry'', where he asserts that “[h]eraldry and arms coats were a medieval security measure on the battlefield: these emblems could be used to quickly identify participants in a war and ensure their safety”. Even the illiterate would also consider heraldry as a useful means of identifying the heritage of an individual.

Heraldy points to power and we all want power...

Coat of arms were put on ceremonial shields and flags, mostly to signify royalty. We can describe the coat of arms and likewise the logos of some colleges as having the following elements: the shield and divisions, tinctures (color) and the banner. The combination of all these elements made up symbols that adorned the coats of arms of the noble class. The relation of heraldry to prestigious colleges makes sense; prestige has always been linked to wealth and status so it's natural that if your a college you want to portray that even if it's not true. The following visuals provide excellent examples of heraldic influences in the branding, advertisements and public relations techniques of universities.

The accepted brainwashing of the American Public , how Ivy’s integrated into American Culture

The Esquire Collections pg 2

Since the 1800s, public relations has been the preferred tool for propaganda and to brainwash the American public to positively perceive colleges and universities . The Ivy League was the first “worst offender” here, and other colleges took pages from their playbook, especially after the Ivy League became top in the customer’s mind. Ivy's were able to align themselves with American ideals, and persuade Americans to see their value. The 4-year college experience is a big part of the American culture now, because colleges have gained an upper-hand when manipulating public perception to their advantage. 

To understand this, we can break down and examine the infamous marketing practices and campaigns that universities have used over the years to take up mental real estate in the minds of students and their parents. 

Advertising was a powerful media tool used since the 1800s, reaching its peak in the 1950’s. In this golden age, advertising companies like Bernbach and Ogilvy reigned supreme. Most advertising professionals came from the upper social classes, who “attended Ivy League or near Ivy League Schools” (Lee ). The notion of elitism in education and even other industries was very firm in advertising, since most advertising professionals were from the Ivy League at that time. The elitist worldview, that was shaped from the sociocultural backgrounds and education of the advertising professionals, seeped into their work. These Ivy League advertisers reinforced the perception that the advertised products could help with one’s goals of going up the social ladder. The portrayal of whiskey, suits and automobiles had a certain bias towards high status and luxury lifestyles - the symbolic benefits of an Ivy League education. Without access to the internet back then, consumers were none the wiser and adopted the message of associated elitism through luxury objects.

1955 King's Ransom & Kentucky Tavern Whisky Ad

After decades of advertisements, the slogan in the Lassale Ad at the bottom, has become very representative of what most parents aspire to when they are considering sending their children to college. The effect of the advertisements may have caused a huge ripple, such that even those who have not seen any of the advertisements, be it print or television, have integrated it into their worldview. In turn, this heavy repetition and frequency of elitism in education has influenced the children of those parents...

Crew Cut By Max Factor Is This The Haircut For You? Whether It's An Ivy League Or Any Other Style Your Hair Will Look Better 1961 Vintage Antique Advertisement

Vintage Ad #449: Intimate Secrets of the Ivy League

Source: The New Yorker, May 19, 1956

 University of Utah Ad 1950

Lasalle Extension University Ad, Jan 1945

This concept has become so pervasive today, that many do not question its validity. While this has held true especially during the 1950’s or 1960’s, modern technology has transformed the economy and leveled the playing field between those with differing occupations and education levels. It seems that the idea of going to college in order to secure a job is less relevant for non traditional jobs , jobs that require technical hands on skill or creativity require more on the job practice than they require time spent in classes

Another way that universities used to reach the American public was through press releases and mass media channels. A press release by definition is a corporate document sent to journalists on behalf of the University to announce associated news or events. This type of communication had the capacity to solicit corporate benefits to the University. A cursory search will show almost no information sources that discussed the corruption between media channels and universities? However, in Ararat L. Osipian’s paper, “Higher Education Corruption in the World Media: Prevalence, Patterns, and Forms” , he states that “not only media reflects perceptions, problems, and trends, but it also shapes perceptions about corruption. Hence, the media is important in researching corruption not only as a reflector from which people collect information, but as an instrument of shaping and facilitating corrupt behavior as well.” 

This meant that it was crucial to consider the bias of most media sources which have an inherently profitable relationship with universities. the only scandal that was reported honestly by the media was the ( college scandal ) that “ parents were being involved in fraud schemes to secure spots at Yale, Stanford and other big-name schools.” (Khan ) which further exposed the corruption in colleges. But media is usually quite lenient when it comes to the Ivys and colleges in general never pointing out sneaky practices and usually supporting it in a symbiotic relationship

should Harvard take credit for a brilliant mans' achievements?

Usual press releases such as these from Figure 8.5 are used to highlight the seemingly best part of universities like someone doing important research done by genius students or professors  at XYZ university and then university using that for a press release to bring attention and to build the association between great students/ teachers and the university. If the two are interlinked you’ll see it as a good place to put your kid in. When in reality it is only showing the highlight reel and not the full thing. Press releases allow universities to show the public that they are progressing, that they're at the forefront and that your kid should be here too. This is not to say that these people in Harvard aren’t doing big things , they are , it’s that Harvard the institution takes credit for an Individual's hard work and dedication using it as a PR tool to fuel more enrollments

One can argue that humans have survived long before universities came into the picture, and that intelligence comes from within. However, higher education institutes are keen on priming students to think that university education is a requirement, and attribute the success of current or former students to their enrollment in the institute. In spite of this, the testimonials and stories of self-made people say otherwise – they don’t need allegiance to a university to validate themselves.

Yet there is a vicious cycle that appears, as universities ensure that their brand is associated with values of hard work and dedication. Their branding strategies aim to make the essence of the university an integral part of how the person views themselves, especially when then become a member of the institute. Take the analogy of Nike and their shoes. The sportswear brand wants consumers to associate wearing their products with being just like Michael Jordan, who is a person many look up to. By tapping on the emotions, brands have made themselves more personal and relevant of the buyer. This ensures strong loyalty from the students, making it hard to question the brand. 

So as Americans kept drinking their kool aid of college being the best experience ever, university deans and presidents reap the rewards of the power they’ve gained

The price of centralized power

 Princeton Review 1996 , Hey Princeton! where is that money going...

The compound effect of advertising and cultural implications are the more obvious displays of centralized power in universities. University presidents and deans have “become CEOs of education and universities thrive, the students suffer.” (Fast Company). This has led to the emergence of several issues such as college debts (bubble), supply and demand issues, corruption and vested interests that challenge freedom of speech and misused state subsidies and endowments.

An impending negative economic impact is coming, overwhelmed by increasing college debt. Akin to the 2008 real estate bubble, colleges and universities have a bubble just waiting to pop. There are tons of students defaulting on debts, with future cohorts, most at the cusp of completing high school, already having the mindset of taking on debt to enroll into college. There are more unwitting students getting on the needless bandwagon of debt, since “the market price (what you pay for a degree) is above the fundamental value in many cases (what that degree is actually worth).” (Hornsby, 2019)

The consequence of this would likely be massive economic depression as college towns collapse from overpriced properties, a huge factor in the defaulting of mortgages. If the cause of the student loan defaults is due low starting wages, then a large portion of the college educated will be unable to buy homes with their current income and credit history. Today’s students are also delaying marriage and having children due to their loans. The U.S. economy and government may face a big hit because incomes are down and a large source of revenue (student loans) will be dried up.

Finally there are the GAPS, this is a big problem faced by the education industry, is an increased gap between what university graduates learn and the practical skills required in the real working world. Many business owners agree now that colleges have become a disparate entity, as graduates across the board display a lack of readiness and skills needed to perform their jobs. It seems that “business leaders lament the unfortunate gap between what students learn in college and what they are actually expected to know in order to be job-ready…and this is still growing — number of people graduating from university: above 40% of 25 to 34-year-olds in OECD countries, and nearly 50% of 25 to 34-year-olds in America.” (HBR, 2019). Despite the widening skills gap, higher education industries still strive and make profits while persisting on their sole business model of gaining more enrollments.

The skills demanded in the workplace don't match the skills gained. Look at the problem a different way. If you are going to become financially self-sufficient, you are probably going to need a credential. (The problem with all the free education is that it doesn't come with the necessary credential.) Maybe that credential is a bachelor's degree. Maybe it is not. But what credential ultimately tells employers is that you know what you're doing and I should hire you. But you really can’t make a decision just on degree and employers are seeing the consequences of trusting these so called credentials and degrees. 

With all these problems caused you have to be wondering why are they still here? Does a bad business survive the market, No, so why do universities get scott free. It is surprising how they survived for so long when they have a terrible product . So the only explanation is that they survived so long because they didn't have to cater to the market ( parent/students ) needs; they were subsidized by the state regardless of their use to the market. Having this perverse incentive of free money coming from the state, regardless of whether they added any value to the market or not makes most of these College Presidents sit back relax and not innovate just fill their own pockets at the expense of the students. Universities, especially the most prestigious ones, get endowment, donations from various sources, government , people with vested interests,, free money coming in without any incentives to change for the better.

Most of the top universities like “ Harvard has a $36 billion endowment while Yale’s is $27 billion and Stanford’s is $24 billion. The most elite Canadian universities such as McGill, University of Toronto and University of British Columbia have endowments worth between $1 to $2 billion.” ( McLaughlin ) These endowments or” free money” have been going for a long time now as seen in Figure 9 , under the guise of the betterment of the university most of this money is pocketed or used to bolster their reputation , either way if money was truly used to improve the quality of education universities wouldn't have this many problems attached to it. So what’s university and colleges like without the branding filter over it?

Taking off the rose-colored glasses

As we uncover the price to pay for centralizing and giving full and ultimate power to universities, it's good to take off that filter you've been heavily indoctrinated with and explore what " benefits and opportunities" that elite higher education institutes universities say they can provide. Many today argue that the quality and content of elite university curriculum cannot be matched, others say that it does not waver much from the educational content derived from an online course. 

Today, there’s an army of young people rushing like lemmings to get a four-year college education. Yet only one out of students that matriculate are able to graduate and get a good job (Department of Labor, n.d.) In other words, for every good job vacancy, there are two candidates with bachelor's degrees. This precedent of that fact that job seekers today are facing increased intense competition. The commercial aspect of colleges has created a disconnect between students and their working world. However the sustenance of this industry is proof of the fact that excellently executed branding campaigns and design and can allow businesses to sell arguably inferior products in a pretty nice package, banking on the emotions and aspirations of the American public.

Community colleges have been bulldozed inadvertently by these campagins. Universities as all in all good marketing want you to think their the ONLY obvious choice. So much so that in 1965, community colleges began to witness a labeling of their image, as being institutes of "inferior" origin. Four-year universities thus saw more applications (in the decades that followed WWII) than they could accept. The students who weren't accepted would then go to community college for two years, not as an endpoint, but as a bridge towards the 4-year college experience. See how sneaky this is , that the perception is not community college is the end point its the college experience the university, why can't community college be the end point and then the students good find a job or internship get real world experience instead of slaving away for 4 years in a college they're getting no practical experience in , it boggles my mind how that is possible.

This created the impression that community colleges were meant for less gifted students — you only went if you couldn’t get in somewhere more prestigious. In spite of this, students who transferred to 4-year schools after community college actually did better in their final two years than traditional students. Because they had more direction were more firm in their choices of what they wanted to do in their life and picked the right paths in those universities to match that

There are certainly plenty of marketable certifications (or credentials) offered by community colleges that can lead to well-paying jobs. Compared to other Ivy League colleges, community colleges provide very industry-focused learning and their tuition fees are lower to boot. investment of money. This industry focus, supported by on-the-job training and internship or apprenticeship opportunities, can even lead to graduates facing an ideal ratio of two jobs for every candidate.Another powerful alternative is technical schools , the students more prone to work with their hands

Influential connections and fruitful networking are other benefits that universities love to discuss. Indeed, students in Harvard or Yale are more likely to bump into wealthy or powerful alumni such as politicians. However, such connections are not solely dependent on enrollment in an Ivy League school. Eventually, it is up to the student’s initiative and determination – some might even point out luck – in creating those opportunities themselves.

Picking up the slack ( alternative education ) supporting a broken system and ultimately replacing it

So if we know now that education is a broken product and the brand is really based on a promise they can’t keep. Alternatives come in to pick up the slack. 

These range from private tutors, online tutors, learning centers , college planning consultants, and even separate boot camps or programs, virtual schools and on the other side their has been a whole market of technology , edtech, things that help a school run more efficient , or piece of software that helps teachers work better or provide learning in an engaging way.

Private tutors and online tutors are the secret weapon for a parent where the school doesn’t help the child learn. The tutor plugs the gaps of learning ,if they are good one of course, and the parents can rest easy that their child is ahead of the game. Learning centers are built off the high demand, where private tutors are more personalised / boutique that means they can charge more , so learning centers are a cheaper alternative put a mass of kids and students to sit down and do worksheets over and over, and some make it and some don’t, this is tutoring on bigger level where the volume of children you can teach matters the most almost as if they act as a second school . The most popular ones are Mathnaisum, Kumon, Huntington learning Center, with any others popping up. 

College planners are highly in demand again being that their service helps with getting kids into college, one notable example of this is a company called Crimson Education founded by Jamie Beaton his company “has raised $20 million from investors, has grown in value to $260 million and employs thousands of tutors to help its international clientele and U.S. students as well.” (Quintana, K.M.) His company focuses solely on getting kids into their desired colleges, demand is created from the parents and students wanting to go to these colleges , but these colleges and universities don't make it easy to get in they create complex processes and filtering. So Crimson comes in and helps with getting to that outcome. And to smaller degree you have independent college counselors who work part time in a school and do this to gain some more money that their job doesn’t give them. Some even take it full time and go independent because the school's agendas don't match with their morals.

Next part of the market deals in online courses and platforms , bootcamps and virtual schools. Online courses include skillshare, udemy , alision.com , and MOOC ( courses by universities released to the public ) , on you tube you can look up lectures from Princeton , of course not everything is out there, but if your searching for it the the internet is rich with the info you want to learn,school itself is not the only place to get info from. These online courses and platforms allow for , Boot camps are coming to fix the knowledge gaps, with better programs to address and create high skilled workers. Google and Facebook and a lot of the big tech companies don’t require degrees anymore but if you can show that you did xyz bootcamps they will take it as a valid credential or if you did any code in these in bootcamps you have something to show for more than a piece of paper.

Finally the one that shows the most promise are virtual/ alternative schools, full curriculum and courses with teachers teaching virtually or partially virtually. This is a model that could easily replace the traditional schools as they can offer the same instruction without having a central location, more flexible it works around a students and parents lifestyle instead of the other way around.

These are the unsung heroes of the education system as a whole, with school alone no child could easily get into a good college or learn better.They carry the burden and profit from the burden of the education system itself. But in the future I predict that they will overtake the traditional institutions as a whole , as the value of these alternatives become seen by more people. We will default to something more freeing and decentralized, that university and school itself will be a supplement for life , that are not in one central place or one central building. Decentralized among individual educators , you wont need to learn math just in school or subjects in a particular order, pick and choose your teacher the difficulties you have a learn on your own time ,plug your unique gaps in learning as it applies to your life not to a curriculum.

Myself and my clients we'll have to work with the broken system for the time being I'm fully aware that by working with test trainers and college consultants i support a system that is slowly breaking down, but for the the time being I'm using this time to show those self employed educators the tools to reach more students to impact more of them, if at least one students live is impacted by a educator i helped attract students to, i can sleep well at night. And the educators themselves can free themselves from the shackles of administrative agendas that don't align with their values to help the parents and students have a more enjoyable educational experience throughout elementary to college.

Now what to do

If you read this far your either angered , agree with me , or on the fence, and or downright in denial of all things I'm showing here . The many facets that make up education and where you play your part matter. Here's what I recommend you do knowing this info...

1. For the parents: think of other alternatives to the traditional route only go the traditional route unless you know that your child wants to be a surgeon, lawyer, a manager of fortune 500 etc. If not what are his /her interests would be better fit for technical school or a community college with apprenticeship opportunities, find what fits for your child dont think the just because "things have always been done this way" that you should follow the lambs to slaughter.
2. For deans and presidents : start innovating , have you forgotten business 101 , build a great product , you have great marketing but great marketing can only do so much if you start seeing so many students graduate but not get jobs , not being able to sustain themselves. Be aware of your tribe and cult you create with your branding , and actively work towards matching reality to the perception. If your trying to convince students "your not a scam " you've lost they're smarter and savvier than ever and won't be tricked by your flashiness at the end of the day if your number of enrollments increase but your students are loaded with debt and cant find jobs that's on you FIX IT. Maybe you can set an example for what a good university should look like
3. For alternative educators and consultants: understand that you do support a broken system but its not without merit your doing the job and holding most of the burden now , your time has come , show the world your skills , show them that you outmaneuver the clunky and slow higher education and education system. You still help children and you still help parents and people all over who just want to enjoy learning once again and get the benefits of doing so through a private tutor or ed consultant
4. People in academia ( teachers , counselors, professors ) ; its not your fault the issue is at a larger scale and your caught at the bottom level of it all, but if your still if your tenured professor you probably are aiding that effect. As you probably rely on the university for your safety if universities lose you lose, be aware of that. But if your teacher or counselor caught up this mess taking orders from admins that are blindsided by their own agenda its better you start to think of exit plan, quick. Yes you can teach the kids outside of the school system it'll be better overall , you don't need to deal with incompetent admins and teach to your hearts content.
5. For recent graduates : some of you may have enjoyed your college experience others may not the truth is you have been brainwashed accept it whether you think you did or not , the facts are clear. If you hated it your assumptions you were right the value you got didn't match the value sold to you if you loved it question yourself why did you love it was it true value or was it illusions of branding , prestige etc. did they induce a tribe effect on you that made you feel like " one of them " own your achievements never let a university take credit for the raw innate ingenuity of human beings. You have your own power , the reason you got into universities wasn't because of the damn university it was because of YOU , and your skills and what you brought to the table nothing else , you already had these things, but universities wanted to make you feel so inadequate that you searched for validation in them and fell into their traps

The education industry is on the verge of facing a major disruption that can possibly jeopardize the long-held values and traditions of educational elitism. It is becoming apparent, especially for the American public, that the value of higher education has been over-inflated and is almost needless in today’s modern social and economic conditions. This sense of disgruntlement is much more apparently shown towards Ivy League colleges that demand huge investments who could cause years of financial burden for alumni and their social networks. Branding and careful design elements are crucial in the sustenance of the education industry, and continues to support the lofty dreams of those who hope to rise through the social ranks.

The future looks bleak for most who have adhered to the system for long, from the hopeful parents and students, to the academics or deans as well as the commerce-minded Board of Directors who have built their power on exploitation of the American dream. Black swan events such as today’s global COVID-19 pandemic may actually be a blessing in disguise as more virtually operated schools will have the opportunity to shine due to the public’s increased demand for learning in safe and isolated environments.The system, the house of cards, is finally collapsing on itself. The domino effect is real , teachers, professors pay is decreasing and more and more are leaving the system, to become their own entities, becoming tutors, college consultants, or even launching their own schools. 

Can branding bandage the gaps in the education industry and ensure success in its future, only time will tell. But bandages dont stick too long and eventually if the wound itself ( the system ) doesnt heal under it, it'll be over taken by those willing to replace it.

Further Reading and Sources

Harvard Business Review. (2019). Does Higher Education Still Prepare People for Jobs? [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/01/does-higher-education-still-prepare-people-for-jobs.

Dailyhistory.org. (2019). How did universities develop? - DailyHistory.org. [online] Available at: https://dailyhistory.org/How_did_universities_develop%3F.

Ng, S. and Lee, A.Y. (2015). Handbook of culture and consumer behavior. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.

Riley, A. (2018). Why Is College in America So Expensive? [online] The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/why-is-college-so-expensive-in-america/569884/.

Nunlee, M. (2017). When did we all become middle class? New York, Ny: Routledge.

Horrnsby, Travis. Student Loan Planner. (2019). The Student Loan Bubble: What Happens If It Bursts? [online] Available at: https://www.studentloanplanner.com/student-loan-bubble/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2020].

Ng, S. and Lee, A.Y. (2015). Handbook of culture and consumer behavior. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.

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