Making a song and dance about student recruitment

Yale University has come up with a Glee-tastic approach to getting students to sign on the dotted line. Would it work here?

With a huge hike in tuition fees looming, UK universities will be thinking hard about how they're going to persuade students to cough up the dosh.

Glossy brochures? Outreach programmes? Online tours? S-o-o-o-o noughties.

Students today want something with a bit more pizazz. Something a bit more High School Musical, a bit more Hannah Montana, a lot more Glee.

Who's got it spot on? Yale thinks it has. Its recruitment video That's Why I Chose Yale oozes schmaltz factor and knocks spots off Harvard's geeky offering, Harvard By the Numbers.

While the eyes-and-teeth types on the Yale Daily News crosscampus blog are thrilled with the "cheesy but fun" video, others find it "cringeworthy". Ctyankee writes:

"It is embarrassing. With all of Yale's strengths and offerings - and hopes of becoming a stronger international presence – this is the best they can do? Disheartening."

And the Ivy League blog Ivygate headlines it's review That's Why I Chose to Ram A Soldering Iron Into My Ears:

"Oh. my. god. Yale has released a new admissions video and it is bananas! Rotting, blighted bananas made of earnest on-key singing and poop."

Could it catch on in the UK, though? Or should our universities be thinking less Glee, more Skins, when it comes to communicating with their potential customers?

Today's best video