The TV series “The College Tour” came to Bradley last semester, getting perspectives and insights into the lives of current students.
This week, the university hosted a premiere of the episode in the Hartmann Center to give students and faculty an exclusive first look.
Since 2020, “The College Tour” has released 12 seasons worth of episodes, sharing the stories of colleges from around the country.
Topics in Bradley’s episode will feature athletics, student organizations, residential life and the greater Peoria community.
This is no different than any of Bradley’s tours or marketing materials. While the show markets itself as displaying each college “through the authentic lens of its current students,” the program’s scripted nature makes that claim impossible.
The stories that the variety of students told came off as inauthentic, ruining the genuine narratives they told.
It’s as though the university is just using the students’ stories as marketing tools, rather than recognizing the honest experiences they seem so proud to display.
A more authentic message could have been portrayed by weighing the school’s pros and cons, rather than purely singing Bradley’s praises.
As students, we want our critiques heard too. Bradley is a great institution, but a truly authentic look is more fair to prospective students.