I used to check my email daily, reading every message I received (or at least marking them as read). Life was good, and my inbox was clean – but then everything changed. Foolishly, thinking that it may actually be useful in my college search, I signed up for the student search service on the front of my PSAT. Since then, I have been bombarded with ridiculous and aggressive advertisements from colleges large and small. Some seem to try to bribe me, warning that if I “don’t act fast” I will lose my chance for a “free gift.” Others try to win me over through personal statements. Some even wish me a happy birthday.

As many similarly naive students know, colleges seem to love bombarding high school students with emails. At first, it may be exciting, but after months of endless spam, students will realize that colleges are not trying to recruit them personally. In truth, the emails that have flooded so many inboxes are just useless, glorified advertisements.

These advertisements have one goal: get the student to apply. Colleges are given incentives to get as many applicants as possible for monetary purposes. They don’t search for a student that has shown particular interest in their type of school (even though they act as if they have). These emails are sent to nearly everyone who allows for his or her address to be added to the mailing list.

If you find yourself infected with the college email virus, you should keep a few things in mind. The most important fact is that these colleges don’t really want you personally. The advertisements are purposfully built to make you feel special and wanted, but in reality they are just playing off of the stressfulness of the college search. Instead of letting them trick you, just read the sometimes frightening and stalkerish subject lines (or ignore them altogether).