Today's students have different concerns and different values than students had 10 years ago. So be willing to experiment and adjust your direct-mail approach to fit the times. On the other hand, if your students apply later, a summer or early fall mailing might work. Remember that other colleges are in the direct-mail business, too. If the timing of your program is the same as everybody else's, your direct-mail piece may be lost in the rush.
Special programs are one exception to a traditional approach to timing.
If you're mailing to a narrowly targeted group for instance, AP students who might be interested in your Freshman Honors Program than a letter mailing may be better. If you tell students that they will receive more information if they respond to a direct-mail campaign, be sure to deliver. In a competitive recruiting market, good information provided in a timely manner can make a difference. As an experiment this past fall, I requested information from about 30 colleges and universities. Some sent it right away, and some sent it within a few weeks.