📜 Why College Emails Sound Like They Were Written in 1850

Published: Oct. 16, 2025, 6:35 a.m.

Author: ricwriting

Category: Writing Guidelines

5 minutes

Tags: Research, Writing Tips

📜 Why College Emails Sound Like They Were Written in 1850

If you’ve ever opened an email from your university and thought, Did they time-travel from the 19th century to write this?, you’re not alone. College emails often feel unnecessarily formal, overly wordy, and eerily similar to a letter written with a quill pen. So why do universities insist on sounding like Victorian-era scholars? Let’s break it down. 🧐✉️


📖 The Over-the-Top Formality

📌 “Dearest Student,

It is with the utmost gravity that we inform you of an impending deadline regarding your tuition obligations.”

Why do colleges insist on this overly elaborate language instead of just saying, “Hey, your tuition is due”? The answer lies in tradition. Universities are old institutions, and they tend to cling to archaic ways of communication. The result? Emails that sound like they belong in a dusty library, not your inbox. 📚


🏛 The Bureaucratic Maze of Words

Instead of getting straight to the point, college emails often take you on a long, unnecessary journey:

🌀 “Should you require further elucidation on the aforementioned matter, please do not hesitate to peruse the attached document for comprehensive insight.”

Translation? “Check the attachment for details.”

Why does this happen? Universities are full of administrative red tape, and their writing reflects that. Every word is carefully placed to avoid misinterpretation, but it ends up feeling like a legal contract instead of a friendly update.


🧐 Fear of Being “Unprofessional”

Colleges don’t want to sound too casual—but in their attempt to maintain professionalism, they end up sounding ridiculous. Imagine if a professor emailed:

🚀 Casual: “Hey, grades are out! Check your portal.”

📜 College Version: “It is with great pleasure that we announce the availability of your final grades, which can now be accessed via the designated online portal.”

A simple message suddenly becomes a Shakespearean soliloquy. 🎭


🔥 How Colleges Can Do Better

Let’s face it: college emails could use a modern refresh. Here’s what they should focus on:

Clarity – Get to the point quickly. Conciseness – Less fluff, more useful info. Conversational Tone – Be professional without sounding robotic. Visual Appeal – Maybe throw in some bullet points, bold text, or even an emoji? (Too much to ask? 😅)


✉️ Final Thoughts

College emails don’t have to sound like they were written in 1850. A little modernization could go a long way in helping students actually read—and understand—their messages. Until then, we’ll just keep deciphering these historical artifacts in our inboxes. 🏛️💌

📢 What’s the funniest, most overly formal college email you’ve ever received? 

Share this article: