What's Being Sold and to What End? A Content Analysis of College Viewbooks

Abstract

The article analyzes the content of college viewbooks, which are designed to entice students to enroll in the universities that they represent. Viewbooks are considered a very important medium by which institutions communicate with prospective students. The authors look at the content of a wide variety of college viewbooks, examining common themes, the ways in which themes vary by institutional type and control, and what messages are communicated to students about the academic purposes of higher education.Viewbooks are an important medium for enticing students to apply to colleges. But what messages are conveyed in them? This study offers an in-depth examination of 48 viewbooks using content analysis. The findings point to the predominance of a highly privatized conception of a college education.

A Link To The Future: A Pilot Study Look At How Historically Black Colleges And Universities With Journalism And Mass Communications Units Use The Internet In Recruiting

“…What you say about yourself matters. Our © 2012 The Clute Institute mission statement speaks of the importance of formative development, service to society and state, and of a college"s role in building stronger communities and a more vibrant democracy (Hartley & Morphew, 2008). How families will pay for college is paramount in making a decision as to where the student will apply to attend school.…”

The Occupational Socialization of Athletic Administrators: A Content Analysis of Graduate Program Websites

“…We used an open coding method during this initial process to determine categories that fit the data (Berg, 2007). Then, as described above, we drew from the existing literature (e.g., ACRL, 2015;Hartley & Morphew, 2008;NPEC, 2009) and from the model website to generate a detailed list of analytic categories: program mission, program goals and objectives, curriculum or degree requirements, admission requirements, co-curricular activities, and the value of the program and degree.…”

“…A review of the related literature (e.g., ACRL, 2015;Hartley & Morphew, 2008;National Postsecondary Education Cooperative [NPEC], 2009) revealed parameters or general content areas for analysis of program websites to consider: institutional/program mission, program goals and objectives, curriculum or degree requirements, admission requirements, cost of education and availability of financial aid, academic policies, personnel, co-curricular activities, and the value of a program and degree. While this examination of program websites does not tell the entire story of the ways in which a set of programs prepare athletic administrators, it does shed light on the extent to which the individuals who enroll in them are prepared for the expectations of their future careers.…”

“…Although these websites may not contain every programmatic detail, there are common or general content areas, including the program's mission, goals, objectives, curriculum, admission and academic policies, characteristics of the student body, costs and financial aid, personnel, co-curricular activities, and the value of the program and degree (ACRL, 2015; Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, 2015; Hartley & Morphew, 2008;Morphew & Hartley, 2006) Based on the clear gap in our knowledge about the professional training of academic administrators, the primary intent of the current study was to systematically investigate athletic administration graduate program websites in order to better understand the processes and mechanisms that prepare individuals for careers in intercollegiate athletics. To be eligible for inclusion in this study, an athletic administration graduate program had to be designed to provide a general understanding of higher education as a field of practice and inquiry as well as to prepare students primarily for leadership positions in intercollegiate athletics.…”

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“…Some sent university magazines; others used postcards, a series of postcards or postcards in a single envelope. Many schools sent elaborate view books, beautiful catalogs that present key attributes, like the diversity of students, types of majors, financial aid, successful faculty and alumni, and career preparation (Hartley and Morphew 2008). These books are widely used by universities and they are the most important marketing tool next to the on-campus visit (Klassen 2000).…”