If it's any consolidation, it's been like this for at least 20 years. I'm 33, and when I did well enough on PSAT to become National Merit Finalist, I got similar amount of inbound mail from colleges. By the end of the process I had 4 banker boxes full of the stuff. It's very similar to what happened last year when I went for a car quote...

I ended up taking a full ride at a state school. While the school wasn't the best experience and I've gotten some "why didn't you go to an ivy league school?" comments, not having any college debt has been worth it. I don't regret the decision at all.

Guess the world for the high-SAT scorers and the rest of us is pretty different.

The identically formatted materials are because there are a dozen or so higher ed marketing companies that serve most of the market, and they are themselves competing with each other in a similar way, converging on a handful of templates they've tested to be the most successful. Once one of them comes up with something more innovative, the very next marketing cycle will see their competitors mirror it.

My email is in my profile if you have any questions about Vanderbilt. (Biomedical Engineering class of 2010)

IIRC, it was the third-highest scholarship tier they offered at the time (started Fall 2003). Tuition + mandatory fees + a few hundred a month (forgot the exact number) credit for Waterview rent. No stipend, though, that's only in the two highest tiers.

We've already had to warn you before about not breaking the site guidelines, and unfortunately it seems like you've been breaking them a lot. That leads to getting banned here, and I don't want to ban you, so would you please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and use the site as intended from now on? The idea here is: if you have a substantive point to make, make it thoughtfully; if you don't, please don't comment until you do.

This globalized world seems to give many an international perspective on things, and it's hard not to want to live in a place with cultural diversity and influences. Places like New York, Seattle, LA and SF feel way more international and diverse, and once you're there, you don't imagine yourself going back to, say, a place like Dallas. Nothing intrinsically wrong with it, but different strokes for different folks. I'd personally feel like I had traveled back to the 20th century if I had to move there.

People are leaving California and NY to live in Texas for a reason.

My girlfriends parents are hyper liberal beach bums from California who moved to Dallas and said they will never move back.

Not trying to be mean to Texas :) I just like green trees and plants, and sub 100 degree summers! Only my personal preference, I get others preference differs. I don't fault people who enjoy Texas :)

I agree austin is an exception, but dallas will be soon as well. I can't count the number of insanely liberal people I know who moved from California to Dallas.

Was only in Dallas briefly but I wasn't very impressed. I didn't get a great feeling there.

Never been to Huston, but a friend of mine grew up there and always spoke highly of it. I just have a hard time with super hot climates, I enjoy a more moderate temp :)

I checked the box and had a steady stream of mail from colleges I had no interest in.

> Most of what I get is useless

That’s basically a fact of life these days. Better get used to and learn to cope with it.

In addition, it wouldn't surprise me if there are some sort of merit and/or other type scholarships for folks wanting to go back to schools. You just have to look.

That said, SF residents can get a Associates from City College for free. Elsewhere I know less about it, but there community colleges are still very cheap in some places.