A monster recently began invading my mailbox and inbox.

The College Monster, that is.

I'm only a sophomore, but, every day, when I come home from school, I inevitably find countless e-mails and pieces of "snail mail" from colleges attempting to interest me in their programs.

My current record for the amount of college mail received in a day is 13 pieces of "snail mail" and 24 e-mails. I'm expecting this record will soon be topped, however.

I get mail from all types of colleges-state universities, ivy league schools, religious colleges, women's colleges-but most of it comes from small liberal arts colleges trying to market themselves.

The messages generally have one of the following general points:

1) "Your high academic achievements thus far have caught my attention. I think you'd fit in very well with the students at X University."

2) "It's never too early to begin your college search. Please confirm your information with us so that we can send you even more information about our university."

3) "Choosing a college can be a daunting task. Allow me to send you your free copy 'The Major Advantage: Five Tips for Choosing a Major' or 'Things to Know Before Visiting a College Campus.'" (Note: These guides are not intended to actually help students choose a college; the colleges merely state their tips and then explain how their programs are the best.)

A week later, after having not replied to a college's mail, I receive another message: "You still have not requested your free copy of 'Such and Such Guide to Choosing the Right College.' It's not too late to do so, but I only have a limited number of copies available, so act fast."

I'm pretty sure there are more than "a limited number of copies" available, considering all of my friends receive the same college mail that I do, along with every other person registered with The College Board, ACT, or another organization.

While I'm glad that college admissions officers want me to attend their institutions, sorting through the mass amounts mail that comes my way is nearly impossible. Thus, college mail serves me no purpose for me other than to give me a good laugh at the amount of mail I receive and the ridiculous things that the colleges say in their messages.

I plan to keep a collection of all the college mail I receive. I've already had to dig out a box in which to store all the "snail mail" I've received and I've created a new folder in my inbox for college emails.

I wonder how much mail I can acquire by the end of my senior year...