University of Missouri Dispel the Myth of the College Brochure Cliché

We take a little break from our review of the best and brightest 'UK Clearing' campaigns to pause a moment and reflect on 'The College Brochure' (we probably need to get a hobby).  

We will be the first to put our hands up and say we have often referenced the perils of the clichéd college brochure over the years. We have implored and cajoled universities to “think of the students” and to consider what they would really relate to when it comes time to choose those glossy brochure images. You know the ones we mean, those impossibly shiny students sitting under leafy green trees on a luscious carpet of green grass. They never seem representative of the true student experience but in today’s post we’re ready to be convinced.

We recently came across a post from the University of Missouri that put a smile on our faces and made us wonder were those students sitting studiously under trees, we have been so quick to dismiss, real all along? The article, written by Karen Pojmann dispels the brochure myth and attests that “This is real life. We aren’t buying stock art. We aren’t setting up scenes. Mizzou legitimately is as idyllic as we suggest.”

This article is a tongue-in-cheek way to recruit students, breaking down the common higher education brochure clichés, explaining how these things really do happen on their campus.

Cliché No.1: Three students and a tree

The first cliché that gets addressed is the formulaic three students sitting under a tree image. We have all seen it in brochures but perhaps seldom experienced it while walking through a campus. This is apparently not so at Mizzou where three pals sitting under a tree studying is a common sight.
“And we stumble upon these scenes all the time IRL. Our entire campus is a designated botanic garden with multitudinous outdoor gathering spots and cozy nooks. It’s pretty inviting.”

Cliché No. 2: Everyone dressed in university logos and colors.

Pictures of students decked out in the colors of the university is the second cliché addressed by Mizzou who say the gold and black of the university is everyday attire. 

“In class. In dining halls. At football games. Off campus. In other parts of the world. It’s how we recognize one another after we’ve graduated or when we’re traveling during spring break. We are hardcore about the school spirit. You’ll get used to it.”

Cliché No. 3: Students in lab coats tinkering with important-looking test tubes.

Another cliché, the pictures of students in lab coats holding a test tube. It’s another perennial higher education favorite. What do the University of Missouri have to say in its defence?

“We have an Undergraduate Research Program, and if you get involved with it, you can work as a lab assistant or even study things like salamander limb regeneration and plant defense compounds. If that’s your thing. This is an unusual offering for undergraduates.”

You can read the full post here where they also defend the clichéd use of famous alumni and ridiculous facilities.