Self-initiated, high school. Colleges would not stop sending me mail — brochures, postcards, letters about campus life, statistics about their student bodies. So I made my own. I designed a full press kit — tri-fold brochure, custom stationery, matching envelopes — and mailed it to four colleges. They did not respond.
The Brochure
Laid out in Illustrator to match the conventions of college recruiting materials: a splashy header question, an “about” panel, a statistics breakdown, and an aspirational closing statement. Highlights include a Wii Bowling score, a pie chart that adds up to 104%, and a testimonial from my mom.
Postcard
In this photo I am wearing the t-shirt one of my favorite bands commissioned from me, which is still one of the coolest things to have ever happened to anyone.
Stationery & Envelopes
Each kit included a custom cover letter on branded stationery, personalized with the college’s name and address, signed by “E. Lailey Elliot, Dean of Undergraduate Admission of Myself.” The envelopes were printed with the “Lailey” wordmark and the subject line: IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LAILEY INSIDE!
The Photo Shoot
Every good college brochure needs aspirational campus photography. I staged my own.
